Six months ago, many questioned whether Hungary could fulfil the role of ‘honest broker’ required for the EU Presidency. Now, as the semester concludes, it is evident that Budapest has delivered one of the most successful and memorable presidencies in the history of the European Union.
‘This year has been full of lessons for conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic. There is an obvious need and constant request by voters everywhere for common sense conservative policies. The European elections showed this quite clearly by producing for the first time an alternative, centre-right majority in the European Parliament.’
A recent Századvég poll reveals that 77 per cent of Hungarians believe Donald Trump, upon assuming office in 2025, could end the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. The findings highlight strong public support for peace initiatives, aligning with Hungary’s diplomatic efforts.
Lithuanian athlete Kornelija Dūdaitė was disqualified from the Super Worlds 2024 – Functional Fitness Championships in Budapest for wearing a shirt mocking Russia. Her case has reignited the debate over whether politics should have a place in the world of sports.
Hungary beat France 25–24 in the play-off for third place at the 2024 European Women’s Handball Championship in Vienna, Austria. This is the fourth bronze medal Hungary have won in the competition, after 1998, 2004, and 2012. Right back Katrin Klujber from Ferencváros finished as the top scorer of the tournament.
A bomb threat was received by the Hungarian Embassy in Paris via email, Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó reported on his social media page on Saturday. While few details about the incident have been disclosed, initial indications suggest it may have been motivated by attempts to obstruct Hungary’s peace efforts in Ukraine.
‘A simple example of restraining evil, which works quite well, are the referees who manage athletic contests. They simply enforce the rules so that order is maintained. They do not help either team win, they do not help the injured, they are not partial, and they do not furnish refreshments. Even so, they are critical to the players, the fans, the coaches, the media, and everyone involved.’
‘Life is not easy for many Hungarians, but Hungary has one big thing going for it: a strong sense of itself as a nation and a people. If it is true that hope comes from cultural memory married to the desire to return to what is good, true, and beautiful about the past, then Hungarians have every right, and indeed the responsibility, to be hopeful, even as the chill darkness of forgetfulness and cultural dispossession settles over Western Europe.’
The Hungarian–Turkish Cultural Season has concluded with a prestigious gala concert held in Ankara, Türkiye, on 12 December. The season commemorated the 100th anniversary of Hungarian–Turkish diplomatic relations and featured more than 150 cultural, culinary, and scientific programmes.
‘The leaders and politicians of our continent need to acknowledge a reality that the average European citizen has already discovered, namely, that Europe is on a dangerous path that will lead to total geopolitical irrelevancy and economic misery.’
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
