‘Hungarians had hoped that the newly formed European Parliament would finally move past the practice of stigmatizing those whose democratically elected positions differ from the Brussels mainstream. Instead, the Brussels elite decided to welcome the election results with blatant anti-democratic tactics, dismissing the political significance and representation of millions of European citizens…The cordon sanitaire is not just an attack on millions of European voters—it is an assault on European democracy and the rule of law.’
This week, the largest diplomatic event in Hungary’s history, the European Political Community (EPC) Summit, takes place in Budapest. The meeting will be unusual in several respects: the leaders of the states are convening just two days after the US presidential election, which could significantly influence the focus of the issues discussed.
The European Commission’s aviation safety agency EASA’s conference was hosted in Budapest, Hungary under the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The emphasis was placed on the essential impact of human factors in ensuring safe operations at the event; as well as the aviation industry’s long-term challenges, such as the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
‘The Hungarian government is open to both the East and the West. They do not adopt a political stance, which is commendable; it allows them to maintain open and honest relations with everyone and even forge friendships with all,’ Dubai billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor highlighted in a recent interview with ATV. He also discussed potential investments in Hungary.
On 4 November Soviet tanks rolled into the country, sealing the fate of the glorious 1956 Revolution and Freedom Fight. Hungary’s National Day of Mourning, instituted by the second Orbán government and observed nationwide, commemorates the crushing of the uprising, honouring the heroes who fought against the Communist regime and Soviet occupation.
Democrat Mayor Matt Tuerk of Allentown, Pennsylvania tried to remove road closures in the city on the morning of the Trump rally despite them being announced as approved by the city the day before. The video of a Trump campaign staffer berating the Mayor went viral on social media. Eventually, the local police sided with the Trump campaign, and the event went down swimmingly.
Just like in 2020 during the last election, the Georgian opposition questioned the results, denouncing the election as illegitimate, citing alleged voter fraud. To settle the dispute the Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia launched an investigation into the alleged vote-rigging. As President Salome Zourabichvili also denounced the election, the Prosecutor’s Office invited her to share any information she might have on alleged criminal acts. The President refused to cooperate with the Office, however, saying that ‘the investigative body should have found the evidence itself’.
In an unusual oversight, Hungary was left off the map in a geography textbook designed for fourth-grade students in Italy. Discovered by gyerekszoba.hu, the Noi Supereroi 2030 textbook instead shows Romania sharing borders with Austria and Slovenia—a puzzling omission still awaiting publisher response.
The Hungarian Science Festival, hosted by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, begins this Monday with an expansive month-long programme. The Hungarian Science Festival has been held since 2003, commencing on 3 November with the Day of Hungarian Science, commemorating Count István Széchenyi’s donation of a year’s income from his estates in 1825 to establish the Learned Society, the precursor of today’s Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Moody’s Ratings has reaffirmed the European Union’s top ‘Aaa’ credit rating with a stable outlook, underscoring the resilient support provided by highly rated member states. Despite challenges like the recent downgrade of France’s outlook, the EU rating is expected to remain strong, maintaining access to competitive financing.
According to the OIDAC’s 2022/2023 report, there was a 44 per cent increase in crimes against Christians in those two years. In 2022, OIDAC documented as many as 749 anti-Christian hate crimes. The report points out that there is a reasonable probability that the actual numbers are higher, due to limited reporting as a result of the crimes’ chilling effect on victims, and the lack of media coverage. OIDAC found that Christian converts of Muslim origin are particularly vulnerable to violence.
István Haller was a prominent Hungarian Christian politician in the first half of the 20th century. His book summing up his views on Christian politics is apparently paradoxical—it is both Christian-inspired and antisemitic. This combination illustrates the troubling tension that burdened the Christian national politics of the Horthy era in Hungary.
‘The question of what a Harris administration’s foreign policy would be is rather like asking a cat its views on quantum mechanics: you’re unlikely to get much clarity. There’s been a rather large absence of any discernible worldview to distinguish her from her boss, Joe Biden. Indeed, one might say her foreign policy is as elusive as the Hungarian summer—everyone has vague expectations, but no one is quite sure what it’ll look like when it finally arrives.’
An American sailor of Hungarian origin served on the Coral Sea, perhaps as a helmsman. He was probably the one to come up with the idea that the money originally collected for the crew’s Christmas presents be given to Hungarian refugees instead, and a total of 7,500 US dollars were thus donated to the refugee aid fund. It may have been the same serviceman to suggest that the crew form the message ‘May God help you’ in Hungarian on the deck. Unfortunately, the name and story of the Hungarian American sailor remain unknown.
‘We aim to draft a manifesto that sheds light on an alternative kind of capitalism—primarily beneficial for domestic business circles—which we refer to as “inclusive capitalism”. It is important to emphasize that our goal is not solely to outline inclusive capitalism but to formulate what we term “capitalism alternatives”.’
‘If the CDU is not careful, at some point in the future it will suffer the fate of the Italian Christian Democrats, who went from being a 40 per cent party to a small splinter party. And if the economy gets increasingly worse, as predicted, the AfD’s election results are likely to become even stronger. The cordon sanitaire will therefore not survive in the long term,’ AfD MP Joachim Paul told Hungarian Conservative.
In recent years the real estate market in Budapest has seen dramatic price increases. The price of newly built flats rose by 13.9 per cent within a year, reaching an average of 3,260 euros per square metre in 2023. Rental prices have also continuously risen: the average monthly rent per square metre increased to 11.3 euros, further exacerbating young people’s housing difficulties. Purchasing an average new build property in Budapest requires 10.4 years of gross average earnings, placing the city in the middle range in European comparison.
The online conference presenting the varied and numerous activities of the organizations of the Hungarian American community in North California was held on 25 October, following up on the first part of the event that took place on 27 September.
Esteban Vajda Széchenyi, born in 1923 as István Vajda in Nagykőrös, Hungary, was a prominent member of the Villa Rica community in the Central Jungle of Peru. Although he found a new home in the South American country, he preserved his Hungarian heritage throughout his life, and passed it on to his children and grandchildren as well.
The city, county, and military leadership got together in Székesfehérvár, Hungary to pay their respects to the fallen men and women of the Hungarian Defence Forces on All Saints’ Day, 1 November. Multiple wreath-laying ceremonies took place in different locations across the city on this solemn day.
‘The significance of All Saints’ Day extends beyond the flickering candle flames in cemeteries; it is a time for reflection—reflecting on our lives and remembering not only our departed loved ones but also the saints whom we may overlook at other times. It is an opportunity to seek their guidance during periods of trial and challenge, which is extremely important in our times.’
The Museum of Ethnography is set to present a special musical–literary programme series in collaboration with the band Anima Sound System this November and December. Featuring Zsolt Prieger and folk singer Bori Magyar, the performances promise a unique cultural experience that brings Szekler heritage and Hungarian folk stories to life for audiences of all ages.
The atrium of the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, Belgium, the old headquarters of the Council, is hosting an exhibition of great Hungarian inventions in honour of the Hungarian presidency. The items on display include Ányos Jedlik’s dynamo, Dávid Schwarz’s airship, and, of course, Ernő Rubik’s Rubik’s Cube.
Hungary’s largest-ever village tree planting initiative, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, has reached a new milestone as 6,000 trees are to be planted this autumn across 317 communities. With 56,000 trees planted since 2020, the project aims to boost Hungary’s green areas and support climate resilience.
Chief Operating Officer for the Hungarian oil company MOL György Bacsa recently spoke to the Financial Times about Western powers trying to pressure Hungary into giving up Russian oil imports, while they themselves continue to buy refined oil from Türkiye and India, countries that are still refining Russian crude oil, essentially ‘laundering’ the energy import.
The atmosphere surrounding Viktor Orbán’s visit to Georgia remains charged, with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson accusing the Hungarian Prime Minister of being pro-Russian. In response to this statement, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Budapest.
‘The stakes in the upcoming election involve securing America’s borders, achieving energy independence, and revitalizing the economy to reverse inflation and job loss. A return to Trump’s policies will ensure national security, bolster the U.S. economy, and reinforce American strength on the world stage. Trump’s approach emphasizes “peace through strength” and aims to curb crime,’ Bryan Leib, Senior Fellow at the Center for Fundamental Rights told Hungarian Conservative.
The Budapest General Assembly has approved a comprehensive proposal package aimed at improving housing affordability, expanding the city’s affordable rental market, and optimizing existing real estate. The initiative seeks active involvement from both the central government and the EU’s structural funding.
From 29 November to 1 December, Art Weekend Budapest will bring art lovers on guided tours through more than thirty venues across the city, with a central theme exploring movement and motion. Free 15-20 minute exhibitions and talks await visitors along multiple daily routes, all marking the opening of Advent with creativity.
Protestants played an irreplaceable role in the formation of Hungarian literary language, as well as in the renewal of the language. It is no coincidence that Ferenc Kölcsey, who wrote the Hungarian National Anthem in 1823, was a student at the Reformed College in Debrecen for many years, just as it is no accident that it was in the same Debrecen, known as the Calvinist Rome, that the Hungarian National Assembly—headed by Lajos Kossuth, who hailed from a Lutheran small noble family—proclaimed the dethronement of the House of Habsburg on 14 April 1849.