Renew Europe chief Valérie Hayer has demanded that Ursula von der Leyen ‘use her power to act’ over reports of an alleged Hungarian spy network in Brussels tied to Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. Hungarian officials strongly denied the story, calling it a foreign-funded smear campaign designed to damage Budapest ahead of next year’s election.
Brussels is set to investigate claims that Hungarian intelligence officers spied on EU institutions and sought to recruit an official while stationed at Hungary’s permanent representation between 2015 and 2017. The move comes eight years after the alleged network was dismantled—and just 6 months before Hungary’s general election.
What could be Europe’s future: a decline, or a new golden age? How imminent is the Russian threat to Europe? How does Sweden view Hungary’s fight for sovereignty? We asked former Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt about Europe’s bright or dark future at Brain Bar 2025 in Budapest.
The European Commission has presented a new strategy to speed up the adoption of artificial intelligence in key industries and the public sector, aiming to make Europe a global leader in AI-driven science, research, and innovation.
The collapse of Sébastien Lecornu’s government has plunged France deeper into crisis, forcing Emmanuel Macron to weigh another snap election that could propel Marine Le Pen’s National Rally to power. Such a shift would upend the European Union’s political order, giving patriots unprecedented influence in Paris and Brussels.
EU leaders will meet in Copenhagen on Wednesday for an informal European Council meeting, testing how far Brussels is willing to go to sideline Viktor Orbán. Council President António Costa is lobbying to bypass Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s accession talks and on the use of frozen Russian assets—an approach Budapest says violates treaties and destroys institutional balance.
The governing PAS party has claimed victory in Moldova’s election, with the campaign overshadowed by raids, bans on opposition candidates, and accusations of meddling from both Russia and the EU. Moldovan authorities once again restricted access for voters from Transnistria, while Telegram’s CEO accused French intelligence of censorship attempts and meddling.
The Patriots for Europe face growing scrutiny over alleged ties to €4.3 million in misused EU funds linked to the dissolved ID group. As legal pressure mounts, critics argue the investigation reflects political bias and double standards within EU institutions, raising concerns about the impartiality of oversight bodies in Brussels.
‘Although its powers are limited, the Commission and Parliament are increasingly incorporating housing into cohesion policy and future MFF planning and are seeking new policy instruments. The goal is to ensure affordable, sustainable, and secure housing.’
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to Poland’s sovereignty, outlined plans for deeper ties with the UAE, criticized EU leadership on war and migration, and defended low taxes and new housing support at home.