Hungarian Conservative

The US Senate has broken the months-long stalemate by voting in favour of the Ukraine aid bill. The political significance of this decision is indisputable, but what implications does it hold for the course of the war?

Six direct flights will connect Hungary and China starting this summer, following Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó’s announcement in Beijing on Tuesday of a new service from Budapest to Xi’an. Direct connectivity plays a vital role in Sino–Hungarian economic and trade relations.

While one might envision the European right as a cohesive entity, significant differences exist between the two prominent EP political groups, ECR and ID, particularly on crucial issues such as the war in Ukraine. As the summer EP elections draw nearer, the pressing question revolves around whether and how the conservative forces across the continent can be unified in the new parliament.

Since Hungary joined the European Union, Fidesz has emerged victorious in every European election. Analysts predict that this trend will continue this year, with Fidesz expected to maintain its winning streak.

In the absence of any condemnatory reaction from the European Parliament regarding the surreal events that occurred at last week’s National Conservatism Conference, seven MEPs have drafted an open letter to EP President Roberta Metsola, calling on her to denounce this significant infringement of freedom of expression.

Tamás Deutsch, leading candidate of Fidesz–KDNP in the European Parliament elections, discussed various important topics in his interview with Mandiner, including the recently adopted new migration pact, the composition of the EP after the upcoming elections, and the frozen EU funds due to Hungary.

According to multiple media sources, Israel may have conducted a retaliatory strike against Iran on Friday. However, Iranian officials claim they are uncertain whether it was an external attack or an infiltration from within the Persian state.

The attempt to shut down the National Conservatism Conference has ignited a new battleground in the EP election campaign: the fight for freedom of speech. While progressives were quick to lay blame on Brussels district mayor Emir Kir, this incident is hardly about him only: it is a culmination of a longstanding process of anti-freedom of speech tendencies in the European Commission and the European Parliament.

Commenting on the outrageous attempts to shut down the National Conservatism Conference in Brussels earlier this week, MCC Brussels Director Frank Füredi stated in an op-ed on POLITICO: ‘The campaign to cancel the NatCon wasn’t simply directed against this organization but against the foundational values of democracy. Those behind the campaign believe public life must be subjected to the policing of speech. That’s bad news for all of us, regardless of ideological affiliation.’

As one of the keynote speakers, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the issues of migration, freedom of expression, and the war in Ukraine on the second day of the National Conservatism Conference.

Since all the necessary permits have been obtained, Uber can indeed re-enter the Hungarian market in the summer. The American ride-hailing company withdrew from Hungary in 2016, but now it is set to resume operations in partnership with Főtaxi.

Even liberals did not take kindly to the decision by Brussels district mayor Emir Kir to use police force to try and shut down a right-wing conference featuring Viktor Orbán among the speakers. Kir faced severe criticism from Belgium’s left-wing prime minister, and the Conseil d’État, Belgium’s highest court, subsequently annulled his order.

Brussels police has attempted to shut down the National Conservatism Conference that began this morning in Brussels. The gathering features, among others, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The left has been striving to obstruct the right-wing event for days, seemingly resorting to extreme measures to suppress dissent.

Iran launched an unprecedented air strike against Israel on Saturday night. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reacted by convening the Defence Council on Sunday. The PM reassured Hungarian families that the government is committed to protecting them should the conflict escalate.

The Hungarian women’s handball team concluded the qualifying tournament with a flawless record, defeating Japan 37–28 on Sunday and securing their spot in the Olympic Games in Paris. This marks the first time since 2004 that both the Hungarian men’s and women’s national handball teams will compete at the Olympics.

The rising number of mental illness diagnoses is a concerning trend in Western societies, particularly among younger generations. This surge is attributed to the tendency to interpret even mundane life situations through psychological diagnoses, posing a significant threat to our societies. In a conversation with Hungarian Conservative Frank Füredi, Executive Director of MCC Brussels, discussed the possibilities of reversing this trend.

The launch of the book titled Fate Shapers – Stories of Successful Roma Men was held at the Mária Kopp Institute on Wednesday. The book presents the life stories of twelve successful Hungarian Roma men, serving as an inspiring example for the younger Roma generation.

In Poland’s municipal elections a significant majority of farmers voted for the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party. As right-wing parties across the continent have consistently supported the farmers ever since the beginning of the Europe-wide protests, discontented farmers could play a key role in facilitating the long-awaited right-wing shift in the EU.

The majority of Europeans reject the European Union’s migration policy. Hungary, alongside France and Austria, stands out as one of the most critical of Brussels’ misguided approach.

After lengthy negotiations, an agreement was reached on the opening of a new border crossing point at the Hungarian–⁠Ukrainian border, bringing the total number of crossing points between the two countries to six. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó described this development as a significant step forward that will enhance people’s lives and foster better relations between the two countries.

Following the example of Wizz Air, Ryanair is relaunching its flights from Budapest to Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, the Hungarian government has confirmed that it is only a matter of days or weeks before Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport becomes majority-owned by the Hungarian state.

In the second half of 2024 a regional power exchange known as the BlueSky Project is poised for launch, involving Hungary, Slovenia, and Serbia. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stated in Budapest on Tuesday that the initiative will notably enhance regional security of energy supply.

92 years ago today, Hungary’s first freely elected prime minister in the post-communist era, József Antall, was born. His legacy continues to wield significant influence in Hungarian politics today.

The conservative education policy advocated by the Hungarian government has faced substantial criticism from the left recently. Responding to the accusations from the left, János Setényi, Director of the Learning Institute of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) gave a brief interview to Hungarian Conservative.

Roger Scruton had a special interest in and affection for Central Europe, cultivating a symbiotic relationship with the region. His work influenced the political, cultural, and social dynamics of many CEE countries just as profoundly as they shaped his own work and worldview. In tribute to the British conservative philosopher, a conference was held in Budapest, with a specific focus on Scruton’s ties to Central Europe.

Weeks of farmers’ protests across Europe seem to have broken Brussels, with the European Commission making significant concessions to disgruntled farmers. However, quick symptomatic treatments will not resolve the deep-rooted problems of European agriculture.

The roster of speakers for CPAC Hungary 2024 has been expanded with some real American ‘heavyweights’. This year’s event holds particular significance as it occurs amidst the campaign for the crucial European Parliament elections in June.

Tamás Deutsch, the leading candidate of Fidesz–KDNP in the 2024 European Parliament elections, declared that the list of candidates of the Hungarian governing parties has been finalized. Alongside numerous familiar figures, the list also includes several newcomers who will champion Hungary’s sovereignty in the forthcoming term.

For the first time since the end of January, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sat down for talks. Recently, significant steps have been taken to restore mutual trust between the two countries.

A recent opinion piece published by POLITICO discusses the ineffectiveness of Western sanctions on Russia. The article aligns closely with the stance of the Hungarian government, asserting that punitive measures will not bring about an end to the conflict due to economic and energy interdependencies between Russia and the West.