The pro-Israel experts and politicians who gathered at the Israel Defence and Security Forum (IDSF) and the Danube Institute’s conference titled October Effect: Strategic Implications for Israel and Europe in the Middle East War, held on 9 September at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, discussed and analysed the rise of antisemitism in the West, the ramifications of Israel’s war in Gaza, and the emerging Russia –China–Iran axis.
‘Among the executed were counts and commoners, descendants of Croatian and Serbian border guard families, imperial Germans, and native Armenians. Some were connected to the Hungarian cause by family ties, others by their unit or simply by their wealth and social status. But all of them were men who believed that once they had sworn an oath to the Hungarian constitution at the behest of the emperor, they had to defend that constitution—even against the emperor himself.’
‘2023 was not a good year for national and ethnic minorities, and 2024 is unlikely to be either. While there were numerous advances during the 1990s, we have been recently witnessing a clear regression.’
‘A new study finds that 80 per cent of immigrants in the labor force are more likely to become entrepreneurs. Immigrant entrepreneurs have tended to have a more profound impact on overall labor demand by starting companies that hire new workers, creating a positive ripple-effect on the economy. In fact, as reported by Forbes, an estimated 45 per cent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, among them America’s top companies.’
An in-depth interview with Anna (Panni) De Cheke Qualls, co-founder of the Hungarian Folklife Association, who moved to the States as a child with her family in the 1980s, then became actively involved in Hungarian folk dancing after her son, Leó became passionate about it. Now mother and son dance together in the Tisza Ensemble and Bátori Folk Dance Ensemble, where Panni also volunteers.
No US state has shaped its own brand of conservatism like Florida. Paul du Quenoy, Palm Beach Institute President, discussed the rise of the ‘Free State of Florida’ in a panel at Danube Institute.
Trains will start commuting on the new Belgrade-Szabadka railway line on 24 November, President Vučić of Serbia has announced, which will reduce the travel time between Budapest and Belgrade to 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average returned 12.26 per cent annually on average under President Trump’s four years in office, as opposed to the 9 per cent average annual growth under President Biden, as per the closing of the last quarter. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 Index, comprising 1.950 smaller-cap companies, still has not returned to its all-time high recorded in November 2021.
‘We all want to leave our children a world worth living in. There is no dispute about this among the members of European nations. Protecting the created and built world is not only our goal but also our duty. But to do so, we need sensible solutions. Firstly, we need to involve all stakeholders. The voices of those who bear the burden of the green transition must also be heard and listened to.’
Alexandra Szentkirályi, president of Fidesz in Budapest, announced the party’s eight-point plan aimed at reforming governance in the capital. The proposals focus on curbing the mayor’s decision-making powers, improving public services, and streamlining the city’s committees to save costs and better represent the people of Budapest.
‘I believe that the true ontological essence of conservatism is contained in the definition: conservatism is the making present of actuality. In this way, conservatism is bound both to the particularities of specific belonging cultures and to the wider belonging civilization…Conservatism as a political philosophy arises when the address of the aforementioned actuality is threatened.’
From the spring of 2026 Budapest will welcome 70 state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, low-floor, fully electric buses to its transport fleet, as announced by the Centre for Budapest Transport (BKK). The buses will operate primarily on key routes crossing the city’s central areas, significantly enhancing the city’s commitment to green and sustainable public transport solutions.
Polish MEPs Anna Brylka and Tomasz Buczek from the Konfederacja party have officially joined the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament, further strengthening the faction led by Viktor Orbán. With their addition, the group now comprises 86 members from 13 countries, and aims to unite right-wing forces in the EP to challenge the dominant centre-right and centre-left factions.
Hungarian Gripen fighter jets are taking part in the Ramstein Flag 24 air defence exercise in Greece, a nearly two-week training aimed at bolstering NATO forces’ capabilities and strengthening member cooperation. The exercise is a key opportunity for allies to tackle Europe’s most complex threats and showcase their commitment to NATO’s collective defence strategy.
As the WSJ noted, Vance’s calm and effective performance could bolster Republican confidence in his future within the party. His ability to advocate for Trump’s policies in a composed and persuasive manner suggests that he could be a strong contender for future leadership roles within the conservative movement.
‘In Hungary, the welcome and the love that the state of Israel gets are very different. So is the intolerance of the intolerance, which is the most important thing, because you don’t have to agree with everything I say, but the fact is that you are not tolerating intolerance. If you are letting the violent people enjoy their free speech, like it happened in Berkeley, you are preventing the freedom of speech of the people who were not violent…And I think on that issue, Hungary got it right.’
The panellists discussed a wide variety of topics related to the war in Israel at the second International Por-Israel Summit hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights, including the ICC arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, Iran’s role in the conflict, and the potential impact of the upcoming US presidential election as well.
James Carafano is a leading expert in national security and foreign policy challenges, an accomplished historian and teacher, as well as a prolific writer and researcher. He currently serves as Senior Counselor to the President and E.W. Richardson Fellow at The Heritage Foundation. He sat down with conservative outlet Mandiner while he was in Budapest for the Fourth Danube–Heritage Geopolitical Summit in September.
Hungary’s Magyar Konyha magazine has released its Top 150 Producers Guide, showcasing the country’s best small-scale producers and their high-quality products, a testament to the thriving farm-to-table movement and growing consumer demand for local, sustainable ingredients.
Since 2010 Hungary has seen its crime rates drop by more than half, a stark contrast to rising crime figures across much of Europe. At a press conference marking the tenth anniversary of the National Crime Prevention Council, Bence Rétvári, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, detailed the achievements of Hungarian law enforcement and the initiatives that have helped in preventing and combating crime.
Hungary’s strategic focus on Central Asia positions it as one of the key players in strengthening economic ties between the EU and the region. As outlined in the programme of Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the EU, the country has been planning to further strengthen its economic ties with Central Asia, building on the New EU Central Asia Strategy adopted by the EU in 2019, which aligns closely with Hungary’s own regional interests.
‘We Hungarians have learned from South Korea’s success story that a strong economy cannot be built without a firm commitment to our values; thus, we have combined our traditions with technology,’ Balázs Orbán stated at the Hungary-Korea Forum. The political director of the Hungarian Prime Minister welcomed the deepening economic cooperation between the two countries at the event, which marked the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán marked the Jewish New Year by sending a letter of greetings to Hungary’s Jewish community, emphasizing the country’s role as a ‘calm and safe island’ in a world of growing challenges. Just last week, Israeli Ambassador Jakov Hadas-Handelsman met with Mazsihisz President Andor Grósz to underline the unity between the Jewish people in Hungary and Israel ahead of the upcoming Rosh Hashanah celebrations.
A survey conducted by the Center for Fundamental Rights has revealed that the vast majority of Hungarian voters expect the European Union to contribute financially to the costs of the defence against illegal migration. Nearly two-thirds of respondents also consider the European Court of Justice’s ruling against Hungary unjust, further highlighting the strong public rejection of Brussels’ migration policies.
Minister of Transportation Miri Regev of Israel thanked the Hungarian government on behalf of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for its unwavering support for Israel since the 7 October Hamas attack at the second International Pro-Israel Summit, hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights in Budapest, Hungary. Witnesses of the attack also took the stage at the event.
‘Disillusionment in the West with Ukraine’s performance and ability to win the war has been rising for over a year. While a lot was expected from last year’s Ukrainian counter offensive, it ended up recapturing less than half the land Russia took in 2023. This year’s balance is not much better. Albeit it is true that Ukraine made an extravagant capture of lands in Kursk, on its own sovereign lands it claimed few to no successes.’
Achieving the demographic turnaround will take a long time and a lot of work, but Hungary wants to take the first steps already in the coming months. Finding solutions to existing problems will be one of the key objectives of the Hungarian EU Presidency in the second half of 2024, using the EU demographic toolkit as a starting point.
John Tsagronis and Michelle Watson, the founders of the Corporate Statecraft programme at the Institute of World Politics, were among the speakers and panellists of the 4th Danube–Heritage Geopolitical Summit this September, when they graciously sat down with Hungarian Conservative for an interview.
Iran launched a major missile attack on Israel on Tuesday, just hours after the Jewish state began a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán convened a meeting of the government’s National Security Cabinet and also condemned the Iranian attack in a post on X.
Under the presidency of Republican Herbert Hoover, the United States suffered the greatest economic depression in history. This set up a Democratic domination of the White House for five consecutive terms. Since Presidents serving two terms was just a tradition at the time and not law, Franklin D. Roosevelt won four out of those five terms.