‘The first 22 years of Hungary’s EU membership offer a twofold lesson. On the one hand, EU membership alone is no guarantee of catching up…On the other hand, Hungary’s situation is by no means hopeless…The success of Hungary’s EU membership over the next two decades will ultimately be decided not in Brussels, but in Budapest.’

‘The best long-term solution to this problem would be finding a way to bypass the Strait of Hormuz altogether, and we may have found a way to do just that.’

An indie game, a great soundtrack, high review scores and a lot of criticism. Mixtape stirred up the gaming industry without attempting to do so.

Germany’s new ‘Brave Germany’ initiative signals a major shift in Europe’s security thinking. No longer viewed solely as a recipient of aid, Ukraine is increasingly becoming a strategic technological partner whose battlefield innovations in drones, AI and digital warfare are reshaping the future of European defence.

China’s revival of Confucianism is increasingly tied to the CCP’s global ambitions. While presented as a philosophy of harmony and stability, Beijing uses Confucian ideals to legitimize authoritarian governance, promote a Pax Sinica in Asia, and challenge the Western-led international order through economic influence and civilizational identity.

‘One may ask why Rome has yet to publicly address the evils of Islam and communism as so many popes have done in the past.’

A response meant to challenge the ‘seesaw fallacy’ instead reinforces it. By shifting the focus from Islam’s long historical conflict with Christian Europe to Jewish–Muslim relations, critics illustrate the very confusion at the heart of the debate—conflating distinct histories into a single, misleading moral framework.

‘The world economy is not simply in crisis—it has entered a new phase. In such a system, predictability fades, and stability becomes the exception rather than the rule.’

‘To be clear, this visit by King Charles III is more than welcome, and he will receive a proper reception, but American concerns won’t change. The special nature of our relationship was never under question in Washington. Rather, it is due to the special nature of the relationship that the U.S. will continue to push for more from its British allies.’

‘Instead of treating falsehood as falsehood, we pretend it is just one more opinion deserving of recognition and debate. In doing so, we open the door to insanity, allowing it to metastatize and masquerade as ideology.’

The generational conflict became one of the striking features of the 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election: Fidesz, which defines itself as a freedom fighter, was shocked by the way the 20-somethings rose up against it as a kind of ‘alliance of young democrats’. However, there are common elements between the separate rebellions of the two generations, and this can help us understand each other.

‘Too many are focusing on distractions when trying to analyse von der Leyen’s bizarre outburst. Some are saying that it is because the Erdoğan government has leaned into variants of Islamism…Others are pointing to the Turkish government’s increasingly expansionist aims, such as its recent alliance with the new government in Syria, but von der Leyen herself met President Al-Sharaa a few months ago.’

Hungary’s new parliament will convene on 9 May in a historic session, but the real story lies in who is missing. For different reasons, left-wing and liberal parties have disappeared from the legislature, raising serious questions about their political future: what lies ahead for the Hungarian left?

‘“Wir schaffen das” (We can do it), said Angela Merkel that fateful summer of 2015, speaking about the migration wave. Merkel was wrong, and Europe continues to pay the price for her mistake.’

‘Since Hungary is also obliged to implement the EU’s Anti-SLAPP directive, its shortcomings are not irrelevant for Budapest. The Anti-SLAPP framework could become a tool for civil society organizations to silence legitimate criticism of their activities, while also potentially undermining plaintiffs’ right to a fair trial.’

‘In short, what the majority of the world has perceived as the United States trying to do away with the status quo is, in reality, the US’s attempt to preserve it.’

‘To encourage private enterprises to decrease their dependence on U.S. currency, financial systems, trade, and technology, European leaders would have to offer alternatives that are equally convenient, cost-efficient, and technologically advanced as those provided by the U.S. Currently, such options do not exist’

‘Many Hungarians look at Germany, France, Belgium, and even Spain and Italy as countries to follow. However, if many of them were to live for a few months in most neighbourhoods of those countries, they would be in for an unpleasant surprise. Western Europe has unfortunately stopped being what it once was: a place with low crime where people could live comfortably.’

‘In the longer term, a broader strategic shift is needed. Europe must abandon the illusion of forced uniformity to avoid internal tension within the European Union and the risk of disintegration. The motto of united in diversity should be applied in practice too, to ensure that the level of integration is determined by the conscious and sovereign decisions of the Member States…’

‘History aside, millions of Muslim migrants are currently destabilizing parts of Europe, and jihadist organizations…to terrorize “infidels” across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Are we seriously to believe that the existence of the Jewish state is necessary to explain disturbing patterns of Islamic behavior that have existed since the dawn of Islam, 14 centuries ago?’

‘Trump has propagated a series of inaccuracies concerning the conflict. He has asserted that the U.S. has “eliminated 100 percent of Iran’s military capacity”, while Tehran persists in causing harm across the region. Furthermore, he has stated that the war is nearing its conclusion, even as he requests additional troops from various parts of the world.’

‘In light of the aspiration for digital immortality or a body enhanced by cybernetics, the Church reminds us that fragility and suffering are not flaws to be eradicated, but rather fundamental aspects of our existence that connect us to God.’

‘The question is therefore not whether Hungary can compete with great powers in space—the answer is obvious. The question is whether it can secure a position in which it is not merely a user but a partial shaper of the emerging new infrastructure.’

With less than two weeks until Hungary’s parliamentary election, the campaign has escalated into a complex hybrid confrontation driven by competing narratives, foreign intelligence involvement, and unprecedented disinformation. To understand why, it is necessary to examine how Hungary has transformed into a geopolitical pivot where Western and Eastern great-power interests collide.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is seeking a fifth consecutive term, but faces his most serious challenge in over a decade from opposition leader Péter Magyar of the Tisza Party. With polls tightening, who is more likely to prevail in this pivotal election?

‘In short, for over 1,200 years—punctuated by a Crusader-rebuttal that the modern West is obsessed with demonizing—Islam posed an existential threat to Christian Europe—and, by extension, Western civilization.’

‘In a world defined by global communication and transnational ideological networks, can elections in any country truly be insulated from international political currents?’

Back in November 2024, Tisza Party’s Péter Magyar tried to dub the secret recordings released by his ex-girlfriend Evelin Vogel ‘the Hungarian Watergate’. Now, he is appealing to the historic political scandal that brought down US President Richard Nixon in 1974 again. Does he have a case now with his comparisons?

With the war in Iran dragging on and millions displaced, Europe could face a migration crisis even larger than in 2015. Critics argue the EU’s new Migration and Asylum Pact is ill-equipped, calling for Member States to regain control and manage migration grounded in national sovereignty.

‘Step by step, competences are expanded without Treaty change, hollowing out the very legal framework that created the Union. If powers can be redefined without consent, sovereignty becomes fiction. Integration without sovereignty is not cooperation—it is merely empire-building.’