‘Farage needs technocrats. And since people capable of running nations do not exactly grow on trees, that means he has little choice other than to start raiding other parties for their so-called experts.’
Behind closed doors in Zagreb, the European People’s Party outlined a vision for Europe that would dilute national sovereignty and turn the EU into an increasingly militarized organization anchored to long-term commitments for Ukraine. With Viktor Orbán standing as the main obstacle to this agenda, it is hardly surprising that Brussels is now heavily invested in unseating him ahead of Hungary’s April election.
Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó condemned the detention of ethnic Hungarian politician Örs Orosz by Slovak police during a protest against the Beneš decrees in Bratislava, stressing that Hungary rejects the principle of collective guilt and will continue to raise the issue with the Slovak government.
With an executive decree by the Spanish government bypassing parliament, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration has granted residency and work permits to half a million migrants who had entered Spain illegally. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has accused the Prime Minister of wanting to ‘replace’ native Spanish people, and wanting to eventually nationalize the migrants for votes.
Hungary and the Hungary Helps Programme received an international award in Washington for their work supporting persecuted Christians and religious minorities, on the occasion of the International Religious Freedom Summit.
Hungarian officials have condemned the death of 46-year-old Zsolt Rebán, an ethnic Hungarian and EU citizen who collapsed after being forcibly conscripted by Ukrainian authorities despite a documented heart condition. His death has intensified Budapest’s criticism of Kyiv’s mobilization practices and further strained already tense Hungarian–Ukrainian relations.
‘ As the last three decades have shown, the EU’s migration and asylum policy is an abysmal and absolute failure.’
Researchers at the University of Szeged are examining how artificial intelligence could support judicial decision-making in criminal cases, aiming to make sentencing practices more transparent, consistent and fair.
71 per cent of Hungarians would not support the reintroduction of mandatory military service, according to a new survey by the Nézőpont Institute, which found broad opposition across all social groups.
‘The aggressive push by UN and EU institutions, among others, to impose CSE, a harmful agenda that is neither grounded in nor compatible with international human rights law, on the African continent, represents a striking encroachment on the principle of cultural and development ownership and an affront to the same European values that reject undue interference in the democratic processes of states.’
Her hobby became her job: travelling. She leads groups to destinations around the world—excursionists, hikers, and travellers drawn to her relaxed, easy-going style. Get to know the story of Zsuzsanna Kovács, aka Female Yeti.
‘It pains me to say that the Netherlands, like much of Western Europe, is rapidly dismantling what was built over centuries. Uncontrolled mass migration, an aggressive focus on “net zero” climate policies, and the erosion of national sovereignty…all contribute to this process. Some Dutch citizens have tried to resist this trend.’
Masked Antifa-linked extremists armed with improvized weapons clashed with Italian police in Turin, resulting in multiple injuries and arrests. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and urged the courts to hold the perpetrators accountable. The events in Turin are yet another example of increasingly aggressive far-left political violence that many Western countries have to confront in order to maintain stability.
‘Today, as geopolitical unrest combines with the clear emergence of new right-wing currents across Europe and beyond, our contemporary era increasingly resembles the era in which Rudolf Kjellén (1864–1922) was active. There are, therefore, good reasons to return to the Swedish founder of geopolitics and his views on conservative politics and international relations.’
‘Colleges and universities breed violence and hate against conservative, pro-America students. Some administrations have sided with violent campus radicals instead of protecting the rights of the peaceful minority.’
‘Elderly, much like children, often need the power of the state for protection, but in this case, it was the state itself which saw them as “class enemies”. These old Hungarian citizens, whatever their political beliefs were, had trouble taking care of themselves, yet the Communist state…branded them enemies of the people and forcibly removed them from their homes…’
‘Handwriting, it seems, has fallen out of fashion along with many everyday practices that require time, skill, and patience—much like other traditional arts that aim to create something beautiful. Admittedly, handwriting is time-consuming, especially when using an elegant cursive script. Yet it is also a personal expression, often reflecting a culture and a moment in time.’
More than 50 side events will accompany this year’s Budapest Central European Fashion Week, with exhibitions, workshops, pop-up events and professional programmes running across the city between 9 and 15 February.
The European Union has ‘openly chosen war’, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after the latest EU Foreign Affairs Council, warning that Brussels is pushing massive new financial commitments to Ukraine. According to the minister, plans involving up to €1,500 billion would burden European taxpayers and divert funds from Europe’s own development.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the government will cover 30 per cent of households’ January energy costs after extreme cold weather, warning that ending the utility price cap would double or triple bills and threaten energy security.
Chinese carmaker BYD has launched trial production at its electric vehicle plant in Szeged, where nearly 1,000 workers have already been hired, Mayor László Botka said, adding that output and employment will rise gradually.
A convicted Islamist terrorist jailed for plotting attacks on Western targets is now seeking elected office in the UK—claiming he is doing so to ‘push back against the far right’. Shahid Butt, imprisoned in 1999 for his role in an Abu Hamza-linked terror cell, is standing for Birmingham City Council in May, raising serious questions about Britain’s democratic safeguards.
Is it possible to demilitarise the Gaza Strip? How strong is the Iranian regime? Will there ever be a Palestinian state? Do Israeli policies contribute to rising antisemitism? We spoke with the Head of the Military–Social Relations Department at the David Institute for Security Policy about the challenges and prospects facing the Middle East.
‘Efforts to quantify and mitigate the carbon footprint of the health sector are accelerating. However, there are multiple obstacles complicating progress, such as competitive pressure and data gaps. Decarbonization of the sector depends mainly on energy-efficiency standards, minimally invasive protocols, and reshaping service models.’
Nottingham Forest delivered Ferencváros their first defeat in the Europa League campaign, and it was a hefty one. The 4–0 score to the home side means that Fradi has finished 12th in the league, and will have to compete in the play-off round before the Round of 16.
‘As the latest voting results from the European Parliament demonstrate, neither the climate nor the quest for electoral victory is well served by sacrificing balanced judgment and political realism on the altar of activism and virtue signalling.’
According to the Center for Fundamental Rights, fully abandoning Russian gas would sharply increase Hungary’s utility costs and end reduced energy prices. LNG imports would be far more expensive, preferential pricing and bargaining power would be lost, and transit revenues would disappear, weakening Hungary’s energy and trade position, the analysis claims.
Liberal-progressive Renew Europe has leapt to the defence of Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony after Hungarian prosecutors charged him over organizing the banned 2025 Pride march. Framing the case as a political attack on ‘European values’, Renew leaders accused Budapest of authoritarianism—escalating tensions just weeks before Hungary’s parliamentary election.
Lake Balaton remained the most popular destination for domestic travellers last year, with more than a fifth of bookings, while over a quarter of the total value of online-paid reservations were settled using SZÉP cards, Szallas.hu said.
Balázs Csercsa, who ran the religious affairs task force for the Tisza campaign, announced his departure from the party earlier this month. Then, he talked to Index in a tell-all interview in which he claimed that the leaks about the party’s austerity plans are authentic, Tisza is hiding their actual plans from the public, and described Péter Magyar’s leadership style as ‘autocratic’, among other bombshell revelations.