Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary has been included in POLITICO 28 again this year, the annual list of the most influential European figures by the political site. PM Orbán is ranked at #12, although his write-up is the most complimentary by the editors. US President Donald Trump has been ranked #1 on the list.
The 2026 National Secondary School Ranking—compiled by Mathias Corvinus Collegium and the Education Office—has been released, assessing more than 400 institutions nationwide. This year’s expanded edition introduces new indicators, including a pedagogical value-added index and a school health and sports ranking.
A major new survey shows Europeans overwhelmingly agree with Donald Trump’s claim that their leaders are ‘weak’, with voters in Germany, France and the UK rating the US president as far stronger and more decisive than their own heads of government—undercutting Brussels’ furious response to Trump’s remarks.
POLITICO Brussels reports that Belgium may soon be treated like Hungary—isolated, ignored and punished—simply for refusing Ursula von der Leyen’s EUR 165 billion Ukraine loan scheme. The message is unmistakable: in today’s EU, disagreement is no longer tolerated, and the system is shifting toward open coercion.
Responding to the Tisza Party’s leaked economic programme proposing tax hikes and austerity measures, the Center for Fundamental Rights and the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation launched the #FreeHungariansAgainstAusterity task force. At the kick-off event, experts stressed the sharp contrast between Fidesz’s economic policy and the opposition’s plans.
‘Some argue, however, that the EU’s “solidarity” pool is nothing but a punishment for those countries that handled migration well over the years.’
Central Asia’s growing role in global critical-mineral supply chains was discussed at the launch of the Danube Institute’s Turkic–Western Engagement Initiative, where experts highlighted the Middle Corridor’s rise, China’s tightening grip on strategic resources, and Hungary’s opportunity to shape Western engagement.
The EU has spent the past decade dismissing Hungary’s warnings about migration and sovereignty. Now Washington under Trump is sounding the same alarm, urging Europe to stop its downward spiral—but Brussels responds with indignation instead of introspection, accelerating its decline.
The Sex Pistols will bring their 50 Years of Punk anniversary tour to Budapest next summer. Joined by vocalist Frank Carter, the legendary band will perform on 20 July 2026, at Budapest Park, with fellow punk pioneers The Damned as special guests.
President Santiago Peña, a member of the conservative Colorado Party, became the first incumbent Paraguayan President to visit Hungary in 30 years. He has met with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President Tamás Sulyok, and House Speaker László Kövér of Hungary as well.
Hungary will challenge EU migration and energy decisions while launching a new solar storage programme and major infrastructure projects, Minister Gergely Gulyás announced following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, which focused on economic and EU-related issues.
‘As part of the high-level meetings, Hungary and Türkiye also convened the first-ever session of the Hungarian–Turkish Consultation Mechanism, bringing together the foreign ministers, defence ministers and national security officials of both countries—a format Türkiye reserves only for its closest partners.’
Hungarian IT giant 4iG has acquired a 90 per cent stake in Mobil Adat, a key player in managed data transmission services. The move strengthens 4iG’s position in IoT and data communications, expanding its digital infrastructure ecosystem across the region.
‘If the countries of Europe truly fear abandonment by the United States, they should first and foremost invest in their own security.’
MCC held its eighth Carpathian Basin Education Conference under the theme The Key Figure of the Future: the Teacher, examining the transformation of education and marking ten years of the Young Talent Programme, now one of the institution’s flagship initiatives.
The first BYD production equipment has arrived in Szeged, Hungary, with trial manufacturing set for Q1 2026 and full production in Q2, the Chinese automotive industry news site CarNewsChina.com reported.
A new US-conducted poll shows Prime Minister Viktor Orbán maintaining a strong lead ahead of the 2026 Hungarian elections. Fidesz stands at 44 per cent, while the Tisza Party faces declining credibility after the leak of a controversial policy document.
The Danube Institute launched its new Turkic Western Engagement Initiative (TWEI) in Budapest on Tuesday with a high-profile conference exploring how the West and the Turkic world can deepen cooperation amid growing geopolitical volatility, with particular emphasis on Hungary’s strategic bridging role.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has met with the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in London to secure continued European war aid to his nation. After the meeting, he told reporters that Ukraine has ‘no legal or moral right’ to cede land to Russia. Dr Sándor Seremet from the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs has commented on the latest development in the Russo–Ukrainian war.
Türkiye and Hungary elevated their relations to an enhanced strategic partnership on Monday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met in Istanbul. The leaders highlighted deepening cooperation in trade, defence, transport and culture, setting a new framework for long-term collaboration.
Students and families in Debrecen are recreating Mihály Munkácsy’s Ecce Homo painting from his Christ Trilogy using 155,000 LEGO bricks. The large-scale mosaic, a community art and learning project, will be unveiled at the Déri Museum on 13 December.
Artificial intelligence could become the new driving force of the financial system, said Norbert Izer, Managing Director for Financial Markets and Digitalization at the Hungarian National Bank, emphasizing its potential to transform supervision, forecasting, and risk detection.
X is filled with videos of the Budapest Christmas lights, as well as the large outdoor festive market located near St Stephen’s Basilica.
Hungary ranks among the top ten most competitive tax systems in the OECD, according to the 2025 International Tax Competitiveness Index. Scoring 78.7 points, Hungary placed ninth overall, performing especially strongly in corporate and individual taxation, reinforcing its appeal to international investors.
‘The Americans left Somogy county, but they left behind the tradition of American–Hungarian cooperation and friendship—making it possible, perhaps for the first time in Hungary’s history, to host the army of a great power not as occupiers, but as guests.’
Gergely Gulyás warned that the Tisza Party’s plans would require massive austerity and billions in spending cuts. He argued the party would scrap taxes on multinationals, shifting the burden to citizens, and said a Tisza–DK coalition would risk repeating past left-wing austerity cycles.
The European Commission’s decision to fine X €120 million under the DSA has ignited the sharpest transatlantic clash since Trump returned to power. Musk called the penalty ‘bullsh*t’, while senior US officials warned the EU is undermining free speech and straining the foundations of the alliance.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned that the 2026 parliamentary election will be the last before Hungary could face a direct threat of war, arguing that only a national government can keep the country out of a conflict he says is approaching Europe. He claimed Brussels is preparing the EU for confrontation with Russia and shifting towards a war economy.
Tim Pool, a popular right-wing podcaster and influencer, has claimed in an X post that a vehicle approached and opened fire at his residence in West Virginia on Friday night. All this is happening just three months after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The University of Pécs has again achieved an outstanding result in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, placing 29th out of 1,745 institutions worldwide and securing the top position in Hungary, reinforcing its leadership in sustainability.