The liberal establishment appears to be turning its back on French President Emmanuel Macron. As his approval ratings collapse and his mandate nears its end, even former allies like his mentor, Alain Minc, have joined the chorus of critics, accusing him of ‘narcissism’ and ‘imperilling French institutions’ while leaving France in deep political instability.
‘For us, it is a matter of life and death,’ Viktor Orbán said on his way to meet Donald Trump. Szabolcs Pásztor of the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation pointed out that few European leaders enjoy such personal rapport with Trump, calling the visit ‘highly significant’ and predicting ‘major agreements’ between the two countries.
BBC is facing accusations of manipulating footage of Donald Trump’s 6 January speech in a Panorama documentary aired just a week before the 2024 presidential election. A leaked 19-page dossier by former BBC standards committee member Michael Prescott claims the broadcaster spliced quotes to make it appear Trump incited the Capitol riot.
Four Hungarian students from the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University detained for conscription have been released, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó confirmed on Wednesday. He said the students were exempt from service under Ukrainian law and that Budapest had maintained constant contact with local authorities.
Viktor Orbán will travel to Washington on 7 November to meet Donald Trump, seeking to strengthen Hungarian–American relations through a new strategic economic cooperation package. In a video statement, the prime minister said politically driven sanctions imposed under Joe Biden had been removed, paving the way for closer bilateral ties.
Liverpool appear to be climbing out of their recent slump, and much of the credit goes to Dominik Szoboszlai. After four consecutive Premier League defeats, the Reds have now won twice in a row—including a crucial Champions League victory over Real Madrid—with the Hungarian midfielder emerging as the team’s driving force and emotional leader.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Hungary to stop obstructing his country’s EU bid, as Brussels recommended opening membership negotiations with Kyiv. Addressing an Euronews enlargement forum, Zelenskyy appealed to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to show solidarity with a nation ‘fighting for its survival’ against Russia.
Netflix’s fantasy epic The Witcher returned for its fourth season on 30 October, once again captivating millions worldwide. Based on the novels of Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, the series stands out as a rare non-Anglo fantasy phenomenon—and its latest chapter highlights multiple Hungarian references, including the iconic character Zoltan Chivay.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has ordered a national security investigation into a massive data leak involving the Tisza Party’s app, after the personal data of roughly 200,000 users was published online. The government suspects that Ukrainian individuals were involved in handling the database, calling the incident a grave security risk.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is set to meet President Donald Trump in Washington on 7 November, with energy cooperation expected to dominate the talks. According to Index, the two governments have worked for months on a deal involving American nuclear technology and gas exports that could fundamentally reshape Hungary’s energy strategy.
The National Rally (RN) continues to dominate the French political landscape, according to a fresh Elabe poll ahead of the 2027 presidential race. Jordan Bardella leads with up to 37.5 per cent, while Marine Le Pen follows at 34 per cent. The results underscore the party’s widening appeal, even among pensioners and moderate right-wing voters.
The European Commission is considering legal action against Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia for refusing to lift bans on Ukrainian agricultural imports. Beyond its legal implications, such a move could once again unite the Visegrád countries against what they perceive as Brussels’ disregard for farmers’ livelihoods and national economic sovereignty.
Transcarpathian Hungarian soldier Zoltán Sima was killed in a Russian drone strike in Konstantinivka, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. The 128th Transcarpathian Brigade serviceman died when Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions with an FPV drone. His death brings the number of ethnic Hungarian soldiers fallen since the war began to more than 70.
German conservative influencer Naomi Seibt has announced that she is seeking asylum in the United States, citing political persecution in her home country. Seibt, who supports the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), said she has been targeted by intelligence surveillance, state media defamation and Antifa threats due to her political views.
Liberal-centrist D66 might have narrowly won the Dutch elections ahead of Geert Wilders’ PVV, with 16.9 per cent to 16.7. Both parties are projected to win 26 seats, signalling a major loss for PVV. The outcome illustrates how right-wing populists across Europe often confront structural barriers and mainstream pushback preventing genuine policy transformation on critical issues such as mass migration.
US President Donald Trump has lifted sanctions on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, his family members, and political allies, reversing measures imposed by previous administrations. The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced the decision without explanation, prompting Dodik to hail it as a ‘moral vindication’ for Republika Srpska.
A proposal to rename Budapest’s Bajza Street metro station after late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny failed in the City Assembly’s Transport Committee on Monday. The motion, submitted by Ferencváros Mayor Krisztina Baranyi, sought to rename the stop ‘Bajza Street–Navalny Memorial’ in front of the Russian embassy.
The Hungarian Embassy in London hosted the Roger Scruton Symposium on 21 October, bringing together scholars, diplomats and public figures to reflect on the conservative philosopher’s legacy. Organized by the Hungarian Scruton Hub and the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, the event featured four panels examining Scruton’s ideas on nationhood, culture, and the defence of Western civilization.
Marcin Tulicki’s new documentary on the takeover of Polish state media under Donald Tusk premiered in Budapest on Monday. During the panel discussion that followed, Gergely Gulyás criticized the European Commission’s approach to rule of law issues, while Zbigniew Ziobro claimed that Tusk’s government operates ‘with EU approval’ despite undermining judicial independence.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, amid debates over new US sanctions on Russian oil. The visit follows Italian newspaper La Repubblica’s claim that Orbán called Trump’s decision a ‘mistake’—a claim disproven after the full recording was released, showing he made no such criticism and spoke only about Hungary’s energy needs.
The Kremlin has indicated that plans for a Trump–Putin peace summit in Budapest remain on track, even after Washington sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil. Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev said the sides are ‘quite close’ to a deal on Ukraine, welcoming Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s recent shift toward accepting a ceasefire along current frontlines.
A previously virtually unknown Hungarian YouTuber’s spontaneous interview with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s mother during the Peace March has received widespread attention online. Erzsébet Sipos’s open and humorous comments struck a chord with viewers, with some political observers noting that the video may have a favourable impact on Fidesz’s image.
The Daily Beast has reached new depths of Trump Derangement Syndrome, alleging that Donald Trump’s latest TIME magazine cover was inspired by a 1963 Newsweek portrait of Nazi industrialist Alfred Krupp—based solely on an Instagram ‘like’ by the photographer. TIME has dismissed the claim as ‘completely untrue’ and ‘reckless’.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán marked the 1956 Revolution anniversary with a defiant speech in Budapest, vowing that Hungary ‘will not die for Ukraine, but will live for Hungary.’ Addressing tens of thousands, he accused Brussels of ‘dragging Europe into war’ and declared that ‘Budapest will be the capital of European peace.’
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, DC, on Wednesday to discuss preparations for the planned Trump–Putin peace summit in Budapest. Despite reports of a cancellation, Szijjártó said the US ‘has not given up’ on the summit, stressing that the question is one of timing, not intention.
Hungary will send another astronaut, Gyula Cserényi, to the International Space Station, continuing its HUNOR programme with Axiom Space. The new mission will make Hungary one of just a dozen nations worldwide to have sent three astronauts to orbit, placing it alongside Australia and Saudi Arabia in the global space ranking.
The planned Trump–Putin summit in Budapest has exposed how modern diplomacy is waged through information warfare. Leaks, denials, and anonymous sources have flooded the media, as Brussels and Kyiv intensify efforts to block the meeting—fearing that a deal might emerge outside their control.
Two Russian-linked oil refineries—Lukoil’s Petrotel plant in Romania and MOL’s Százhalombatta facility in Hungary—were rocked by explosions on Monday, halting operations. Authorities have yet to identify an official cause, but the near-simultaneous incidents have fuelled speculation of Ukrainian sabotage amid Kyiv’s ongoing drone and pipeline attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hosted Alice Weidel, co-chair of Germany’s AfD, in Budapest on Monday. Weidel praised Hungary for hosting the upcoming Trump–Putin peace summit, calling Budapest ‘the best place in the world’ and commending Orbán’s leadership in promoting dialogue and stability in Europe.
The Danube Institute hosted a high-level discussion on the EU’s future, where Balázs Hidvéghi, Stefano Arroque, Daniel Hinšt, and Péter Kruzslicz agreed that the bloc’s growing centralization has created a structural crisis. Speakers urged reform, respect for sovereignty, and a return to the principle of subsidiarity.