Mateusz Morawiecki, the former Polish prime minister and candidate for the presidency of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), has pledged to enhance the role of nation-states in the EU. He envisions a more sovereign Europe built on collaboration and reform.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Budapest defines itself in opposition to Brussels, aiming to transform the EU’s direction in the coming years. At a summit in Brussels, Orbán called for migration control, lower energy prices, and a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine.
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.
‘No, Mr Pressman, you never truly believed that Hungary matters. What you and President Biden thought was that ousting Viktor Orbán’s government mattered—to impose a progressive globalist agenda on one of the few European countries that prioritizes its own interests and sovereignty. And ultimately, you failed.’
After rejecting his Christmas ceasefire proposal, Volodymyr Zelenskyy harshly criticized Viktor Orbán for his mediation efforts between Kyiv and Moscow. The Hungarian prime minister responded firmly: ‘We won’t respond to any provocation.’
‘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.’
‘I believe that small countries have a big role to play in the current situation…In this kind of environment, I think that smaller countries that can maintain their neutrality are the ones that will win. But the ones that don’t have the willpower and the political autonomy to be neutral—the ones that are actually forced to take a stand—, well, I think, are going to lose the most.’
In the span of just two weeks, both the German and French parliaments have withdrawn their confidence in their respective governments. These developments signal a profound crisis among the mainstream liberal-progressive forces in the West, which are striving to prevent anti-establishment parties from gaining power. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that they cannot hold off this shift for much longer.
Pollster Ann Selzer, who had been remarkably accurate in the state prior, showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading President Trump by three points in Iowa in the 2024 presidential election. President Trump ended up winning by 13.2 points, meaning a 16-point miss for Selzer. Her subsequent retirement left many to speculate about a case of bribery, and Trump has now launched a civil suit against her, alleging fraud.
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.