The Hungarian government will introduce a January utility price cap and is preparing a utility rebate scheme to shield households from higher heating bills caused by extreme winter weather, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and senior ministers announced.
Budapest’s District I may tighten regulations on short-term rentals and could even ban Airbnb-style accommodation, as local leaders cite rising housing costs and point to similar measures introduced in neighbouring districts.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces her fourth no-confidence vote in six months on Thursday, after the right-wing Patriots for Europe tabled a new motion of censure. The vote follows a major setback for von der Leyen and the EPP, as the European Parliament sent the EU–Mercosur deal to the Court of Justice for legal review.
‘The book went to number one in the national charts based on word of mouth, which is unheard of…So normally, anything that is this kind of a unicorn, the media should be all over it, because it’s such an unusual tale. But because it’s picking apart a lot of government narratives…the book was ignored for the first couple of months by the national media.’
Miklós Szánthó of the Center for Fundamental Rights has accused Hungarian opposition candidate Péter Magyar of attacking his institution for revealing that Magyar’s cabinet picks and campaign team are being filled with failed left-wing politicians.
‘Indeed, if anything—as the Hungarian model demonstrates—a healthy sense of Christian nationalism and identity turns out to be protective of Jewish human rights and dignity, certainly in comparison with those Western environments shaped by secular liberalism.’
Leftist streamer Ian ‘iDubbbz’ Johmha has caused quite a controversy online for mocking and trying to discredit an Iranian immigrant appearing on an American reality show, who talked about the oppressive nature of the Ayatollah regime in Iran. He insinuated that, under President Trump, people are not much freer in the US than in Iran. Ironically, just a few days later, a massive wave of protests broke out against the regime in Iran.
Kyiv has summoned Hungary’s ambassador in protest at Budapest’s rejection of further EU financial assistance to Ukraine, prompting a sharp response from Péter Szijjártó. The foreign minister said Hungary will not help finance Ukraine ‘over the next decade’, warning against ‘squandering the future of our youth’ and accusing Ukraine of interfering in Hungary’s internal affairs.
The European Parliament has voted by a razor-thin margin to send the EU–Mercosur agreement to the CJEU for a legal opinion—an outcome hailed by Hungary’s Csaba Dömötör as a Patriots for Europe-driven breakthrough for farmers. With only ten votes separating the sides, the Patriots’ bloc claims it tipped the balance against an EPP-backed push to fast-track the deal.
The European Parliament’s liberal–progressive camp has renewed attacks on Hungary after the Commission approved €16 billion in SAFE defence funding, with Green MEPs urging delays until after April’s election. Despite Kaja Kallas insisting funds will be audited, critics again weaponize the ‘rule of law’ to block Hungary’s military modernization and influence its election.
Hungary attracted 7 billion euros in new investments last year through 108 projects, HIPA chief István Joó said, defending state incentives as key to competitiveness amid debate over opposition tax and subsidy plans.
‘Takaichi claims that internal party polling shows the LDP could potentially win a standalone majority without relying on coalition partners’ seats if snap elections are held now. However, it is unclear whether traditional LDP supporters will be so quick to back the new LDP–Japan Innovation Party alliance over their former Komeito comrades.’
Physical artificial intelligence is ushering in a new phase in robotics, replacing rigid, pre-programmed machines with adaptive systems able to learn and operate safely in complex real-world environments, according to Deloitte Tech Trends 2026.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary will not approve the EU Mercosur trade agreement as long as a national government is in power, accusing Brussels of deceiving farmers and bypassing national parliaments.
‘The goal of the Cyprus Presidency…is aligned with the concept of strategic autonomy: a union that would strengthen the EU’s global role amid geopolitical turmoil. The emphasis on security, defence, energy security, and competitiveness could yield positive results, but it should be noted that while the programme is ambitious…it also stretches beyond the EU’s traditional scope.’
The English Premier League club AFC Bournemouth has signed 20-year-old Hungarian midfielder Alex Tóth from Ferencváros for €12 million, a new transfer fee record in the Hungarian league. Previously, another Hungarian international, Milos Kerkez, has also played for the Cherries.
‘The return of the power of the Marque will underscore enduring truths in global affairs: that laws of war bend to state needs, and quasi-legal private forces remain potent instruments.’
Hungary was the only EU Member State not to support the joint statement by the European Commission and Council on the potential purchase of Greenland, a territory of Denmark, by the United States. According to Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó of Hungary, this is a bilateral issue between Denmark and the US, and the EU should not get involved as a whole.
Eight cities in the Budapest agglomeration are emerging as central hubs, driven mainly by motorway accessibility rather than rail links, according to a new study by Budapest Corvinus University examining regional urban development.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s invitation to Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ has sparked immediate controversy at home, after reports claimed Hungary would have to pay $1 billion for a seat. Yet the board’s charter states membership carries no financial obligation by default, with the billion-dollar contribution only offering an automatic extension beyond the standard three-year term.
Serbia has struck a deal for Hungary’s MOL to buy the majority Russian-owned stake in national oil firm NIS, Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic announced. The terms will also be sent to the Trump administration, as Belgrade seeks to strengthen its position amid US sanctions on Russia’s energy sector and safeguard operations at the Pančevo refinery.
In his inauguration speech a year ago today, President Trump spoke about issues of domestic lawfare, border security, energy, peace, territorial expansion, and government efficiency. Now, one year later, it is worth examining: how has his second presidency measured up to those promises?
Hungarian students can buy a five-day Sziget Festival pass at half price if they purchase a monthly public transport pass through the BudapestGO app between 19 January and 31 July, organizers said.
The head of Hungary’s biggest defence and space industry group held talks in Israel last week and did not return empty-handed. Hungary could become an important European hub for the distribution of Israeli drones.
A new volume titled Digital Parenthood takes an in-depth look at sharenting and the dilemmas of raising children in the digital age, analysing legal, social and media-related challenges linked to children’s online presence.
‘One of our shared intentions has been to open towards young people, but I also consider it important to increase the number of Hungarians who pray—for any cause.’
‘The proof of the slur “woke’s” uselessness is that mass indifference to and aversion toward “woke” policies has done nothing to prevent their enforcement in the first place; therefore, the mass appeal of anti-woke content will likewise do nothing to counter these policies.’
‘Hungarian voters must decide: will they continue to entrust Fidesz with the authority to lead them through the geopolitical storm, or will they take a bet on Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party to lead Hungary with a new style of government?’
The Stek Oost experiment in Amsterdam was built on a progressive promise: coexistence between Dutch students and refugees would accelerate integration. But Zembla’s investigation suggests the reality was far darker, with students describing sexual assault, stalking, and repeated violence, while claiming their concerns were dismissed.
Anti-ICE protests are getting more and more intense in the progressive city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where protester Renee Good was shot by an agent earlier this month. Videos online show demonstrators disrupting church service; and even appear to have accidentally beaten up one of their own, mistaking the unfortunate man for an ICE agent or ICE supporter.