István Széchenyi at the Iron Gates of the Danube River (painting by József Schöfft after Ágoston Schöfft, 1836)

Afrikaners and Hungarians: Inspiration from the Life of István Széchenyi

‘We have come to learn that in Hungary there is some (healthy) debate about the balance between fighting for freedom and building for freedom. This debate should not be regarded as a choice between two mutually exclusive paths, but rather as a pursuit to balance two necessary components of the same struggle. What is so remarkable about this discussion from an Afrikaner perspective, is that it speaks directly to one of our main slogans: “veg en bou” (“fight and build”). When we say veg en bou, we mean that we have to fight against injustice in order to protect what is ours, but at the same time, we ought to develop our own institutions to strengthen our ability to take care of our communities.’

Strategic Agenda 2024–2029: Need for a Stronger, More Competitive EU

The strategic agenda, which outlines the political priorities and main strategic objectives for the EU’s new actors over the next five years, is a crucial document that must be developed prior to institutional changes, the European Parliament elections of June 2024, and the appointment of the European Commission.

Balázs Orbán’s Hussar Cut — A New Theoretical Framework

‘In other words, Hussar Cut puts into a broader perspective the policies that PM Viktor Orbán carried out in the recent decade. It is also a comprehensive analysis of international relations, with special emphasis on the currently changing world order. Balázs Orbán draws the conclusion that the changes of the international system have made a new strategy necessary for Hungary.’

Members of European Parliament and LGBT supporters demonstrate their support for the Polish LGBTQI community in front of the EP building during a plenary session in Brussels on 15 September 2020.

The Genderization of European Politics

The authors examined the resolutions, annual fundamental rights and human rights reports adopted by the European Parliament between 2019 and 2024 to analyse and document the emergence of a ‘new language’ that serves to prioritize specific aspects in the protection of fundamental and human rights.

V4 foreign minister (L-R) Radosław Sikorski (Poland), Jan Lipavský (Czech Republic), Péter Szijjártó (Hungary), and Miroslav Lajcák (Slovakia) in Prague on 21 March 2024

Cooperation vs Confrontation: The V4 in the Shadow of the Russia–Ukraine War

‘The Visegrad Group has reached a tipping point in the face of growing geopolitical and security challenges. The external and internal dynamics of the regional alliance of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia have encountered obstacles where the need for unity clashes with competing views, aims, and pressures.’

Solidarity demonstration in Seville following the Madrid train bombings which left 199 dead and over 1,400 injured on 12 March 2004.

Reaction or Overreaction? — Terrorism and State Power

‘The patterns that emerge from examples drawn from 150 years of terrorism and counterterrorism are clear. When a tactic works, it is copied and adapted to new times and new situations. Attacks on civilians, women and children strike terror and provoke governments to react. When governments overreact and kill large numbers of civilians, regardless of the provocation, governments lose support, lose legitimacy, and in the modern world, soon find both popular opinion and later the world community will turn against them, making ultimate defeat inevitable.’