Visegrád Leaders to Meet Next Week — Is Cooperation Back on Track After Estrangement?

The first V4 summit of the year is scheduled for 27 February, with a focus on illegal migration, energy security, and the EU’s strategic objectives. After the estrangement caused by the war in Ukraine, cooperation seems to be back on track, but its future will largely depend on the willingness and ability of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to collaborate.

The Ten Commandments in Front of the City Hall in Chiefland, Florida

Some Reflections on the Term ‘Judeo-Christian’

‘The notion of ‘Judeo-Christian’, putting aside its religious connotation, as the foundation of Western civility is rather arbitrary, if not ambiguous. Various Christian fundamentalists and self-proclaimed traditional Catholics have employed the ‘Judeo-Christian’ discourse to justify their backing of Israel, despite the term being neither eschatological nor doctrinal. ’

Thierry Baudet speaking at the Petőfi Kultúrkör club in Székesfehérvár on 28 January 2024.

Politics Beyond Borders with Wael Taji: Thierry Baudet, the Firebrand from the Netherlands

‘We have to rid ourselves of the fundamental cultural Marxist idea that we must destroy European identity at its very fundamentals. That we must destroy the classical nuclear family. We must destroy nations. We must destroy classical aesthetics. We must destroy the Christian faith. That’s wrong,’ says Dutch politician and author Thierry Baudet in an interview with Wael Taji.

Péter Szijjártó (L) with Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana on 9 February 2024 at the UN in New York,

Hungary, Czechia Oppose EU Sanctions on Israeli Citizens

Hungary and Czechia have been the only members of the EU that have consistently declared support for the Israeli government, both before and since the 7 October massacres. Last December, they were among the ten nations that voted against a resolution at the UN General Assembly calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Muse Clio by François Boucher (1750s)

Americans’ Problem with History

‘Allowing a diversity of opinion to inform one’s judgment really can be a source of strength. And, to paraphrase Cicero, taking history seriously is necessary if you wish to be a grown-up on the world stage, not a child, stomping around looking for somewhere to bomb, and somewhere else to bully.’

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele addresses his supporters from the balcony of the Presidential Palace in San Salvador after his re-election in the 4 February 2024 presidential election.

El Salvador: A Lesson in Geopolitical Leverage

US foreign policy is set ‘to remain volatile and subject to disruption with changes of government and the whims of the political class. For a country like Hungary—arguably lacking the same geopolitical leverage vis-à-vis Washington—the Salvadoran reality might not offer a blueprint, but it does present a lesson’, our contributor Michael O’Shea argues.

ECR Co-Chair Nicola Procaccini addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg in the debate on the frozen EU funds for Hungary on 17 January 2024.

European Reformers and Conservatives Get Stronger as Elections Approach

According to Italian press reports, on the margins of the latest EU summit Viktor Orbán indicated that Fidesz is ready to join the ECR after the elections. The move would significantly swell the ranks of the ECR, considering that Fidesz is projected to win 14 seats (of Hungary’s 21), sending quite a sizable delegation to the European Parliament.