Portrait of Maria Theresa by Martin van Meytens (1759)

‘Vitam et sanguinem!’: Shifting Balance of Foreign Policy Power Between Hungary and the Habsburgs During the Early Modern and Modern Age

The debates between the Hungarian government and the European Commission often grab the headlines in the international media these years, with the issues of contention between Budapest and the EC usually being co-existence, sovereignty, and shared responsibility. However, there is indeed nothing new under the sun: Hungary had to grapple with such issues under the more than 300 years of Habsburg rule.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy giving a press conference during the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on 12 July 2023.

NATO Promises a Shared but Undefined Future to Ukraine

At first glance, the declaration of wanting to see Ukraine in NATO does not seem much more than what the country was already told in 2008. But the truth is that Ukraine is closer than ever to joining the Alliance, which was indicated not only by the unanimous adoption of the closing communiqué, picturing Ukraine’s future within NATO, but also by the fact that Ukraine can skip the preliminary Membership Action Plan (MAP) that every other post-Soviet country had to undergo and negotiate defence issues as an equal partner in the established NATO Ukraine Council.

Budapest Pride 2023: Another Chance to Bash Hungary?

The embassies of the United States, Germany, Slovakia, and 35 other nations have put out a joint statement ahead of the Budapest Pride March, condemning the Hungarian government for allegedly not protecting the rights of LGBTQ people in the country. US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman was also present at the March, where also gave yet another critical speech.

Change of Leadership in the CDU — German Conservatives at a Crossroads

The Christian Democratic Union in Germany has shifted to the left in recent years, which does not seem to be working out for them, while the far-right has got stronger. Can a change of leadership and incoming conservative Secretary General Carsten Linnemann reverse course? An analysis by Bence Bauer, head of the German-Hungarian Institute for European Cooperation at MCC.