Hungarian Conservative

Pro-Palestinian gender studies students disrupted the graduation ceremony of the Central European University (CEU) in Vienna. The students accused the university administration of supporting the genocide allegedly perpetrated by Israel. These events mirrored the pro-Palestinian protests observed on US campuses.

Manfred Weber, President of the European People’s Party, stated that the door is open for new opposition leader Péter Magyar’s party to join the European Parliamentary political group, but that he is not the sole decision-maker. The Hungarian Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP) has announced that it will leave the EPP if the Tisza party joins the group.

After being elected to the European Parliament, Italian Antifa Ilaria Salis walked free on 14 June, as Hungarian police released her from house arrest due to the immunity granted to MEPs. This news is both outrageous and terrifying, given the devastation Salis and her associates are believed to have caused, destroying the lives of innocent people in Budapest.

US Ambassador David Pressman is being true to his own self: in a recent interview he accused the Hungarian government of lying, stating that during the campaign before the European Parliament elections, government politicians falsely claimed that NATO would drag Hungary into the war in Ukraine.

‘If everyone agrees on everything, it presents a strange vision of a democratic society,’ remarked German journalist Ralf Schuler during the launch event of his latest book, published in Hungarian by the Center for Fundamental Rights. The book delves into the themes and perils of the herd mentality that is increasingly prevalent in Western societies, drawing comparisons with the era of socialism.

The European Court of Justice has ordered Hungary to pay €200 million for ‘failing to respect’ EU law regarding procedures for granting international protection and returning illegally staying non-EU nationals. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called the decision outrageous and unacceptable.

The European Commission is planning to impose unprecedentedly high punitive tariffs on all-electric cars imported from China. The plan has elicited strong objections from several member states, including Germany and Hungary.

Hungary has received assurances from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that it will not have to participate in military action outside its territory. Stoltenberg and Viktor Orbán held talks in Budapest on Wednesday, during which, in addition to discussing the war, Hungary’s significant contribution to the functioning of the defence alliance was also highlighted.

One of the main priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency, which starts in July, is to increase the EU’s competitiveness. Preparations are already well underway, and on Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with the leaders of the European Roundtable for Industry to gather their advice and develop an effective Hungarian programme.

‘We won the first half, 1⁠–⁠0 here. Now, let’s wait for Donald Trump to bring in the second half,’ Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a humorous tone during an interview with M1 public television as he assessed the results of Sunday’s European Parliament and local elections. PM Orbán emphasized that Fidesz defeated both the old and new opposition simultaneously, which he considers a particularly valuable outcome.

Snap elections in France, the Belgian Prime Minister resigning, and the German coalition government in turmoil—all happening in the wake of the European elections. Even though the elections, billed as crucial, did not bring the right-wing turnaround many had hoped for, the right-wing parties, almost without exception, performed well, causing panic among the liberal elite in Western Europe.

On Sunday, Hungarians went to the polls in an atmosphere of heightened emotions. The day after the election that saw a record turnout several conclusions can be drawn: the traditional left has nearly disappeared, anti-Hungarian conduct in the EP has been punished by voters, and Fidesz remains by far the strongest party. However, there are still many unanswered questions, especially regarding the next steps of the newcomer Tisza party.

Silvana Heißenberg was a renowned actress in Germany until she publicly criticized Angela Merkel’s migration policy. Following this, she was labelled a Nazi, subjected to a smear campaign, and effectively blacklisted from employment. She has now relocated to Hungary to begin a new, safer chapter of her life.

Despite slipping slightly from first place according to the exit polls, Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) managed to significantly increase the number of MEPs it is to send to the EP on the first day of the European elections. PVV will have seven seats in the new EP, with Wilders expressing hope that the official results, to be announced on 9 June, will confirm that his party came in first.

‘States are free to reject decisions or judgements that are inconsistent with the treaties they signed,’ Senior Research Fellow at the European Centre for Law and Justice Nicolas Bauer told Hungarian Conservative.

After nearly twenty years, Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport is back in the ownership of the Hungarian state. The announcement was made by Minister of National Economy Márton Nagy, who emphasized in a statement that the Hungarian government will work to make the airport one of the best in the world.

In his first video appearance since being shot on May 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico blamed the opposition and George Soros for the attempt on his life. The opposition party Progressive Slovakia swiftly rejected these accusations, stating that Fico’s claims only exacerbate the already tense situation.

The Hungarian MVM Group is set to buy a stake in Shah Deniz, one of the world’s largest natural gas fields, in Azerbaijan. This move will significantly strengthen Hungary’s energy supply and represents another major step towards independence from Russian energy sources.

A few days after an Afghan immigrant killed a policeman with a knife and injured several others in Mannheim, another knife attack has taken place in the German city. This time, the victim was a politician from the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave an interview to the Italian newspaper Il Giornale, in which he stressed that the current European Commission led by Ursula von der Leyen has failed regarding everything from war to agriculture. He emphasized that there is no other choice: the European right must take over after the elections.

‘Today, we must achieve what Prime Minister István Tisza could not: prevent Hungary from being drawn into another European war,’ Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stressed in his speech on the Day of National Unity. 4 June marks one of the darkest days in Hungarian history: signed on this day in 1920, the Treaty of Trianon caused Hungary to lose about two-thirds of its territory and one-third of its population.

According to the decision of World Athletics (WA), Budapest will be the venue for the first-ever World Athletics Ultimate Championship in 2026. WA President Sebastian Coe said that the decision was made partly because of the success of last year’s World Athletics Championship. In 2026, the Hungarian capital will also host the Champions League final.

Belgium, currently holding the rotating EU Presidency, is urging member states to accelerate the Article 7 procedure against Hungary, which could result in the country losing its voting rights in EU decision-making. Pressure on Budapest over Ukraine has been increasing in recent months; Belgium’s call could be seen as part of this effort.

Facebook has deleted the recording of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s speech from public television’s page, with the absurd allegation that the video shared symbols associated with ‘dangerous’ individuals and organizations. Orbán spoke at the Peace March held on Saturday, discussing peace in Ukraine and the upcoming European elections.

‘If Marine Le Pen and Giorgia Meloni manage to work together, either in a group or in a coalition, they will be the strength of Europe,’ stated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in an interview with Le Point. PM Orbán also discussed the Hungarian EU Presidency starting in July, the threats facing Europe and his relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to a statement from the F.D. Roosevelt University Hospital, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has been discharged and is currently under home care. Fico was shot five times on 15 May and has undergone several life-saving operations over the past two weeks.

According to Nikola Kedhi, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Albanian Policy Center, defending a nation’s sovereignty requires a constant battle in the media, academia, and the political field.

According to information from POLITICO, EU leaders and some member states want to punish Hungary by giving the country a weak portfolio in the next European Commission. Hungary currently holds the position of Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, but tensions between Brussels and Budapest are rising due to Hungary’s resistance to Ukraine’s accession.

According to SMER-SD MP Erik Kaliňák, Robert Fico was shot five times in the small intestine, but the Slovak PM’s condition is improving day by day. Fico was shot on 15 May; the shooter was identified as a 71-year-old poet whose attack on the prime minister was clearly politically motivated.

‘Being a conservative in Berkeley is like you’re surrounded by Marxists. I think sometimes Hungary feels the same, surrounded by these European progressive elites,’ John Yoo, former US government official and Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley stated in an interview with Hungarian Conservative.