Following their historic success in Sunday’s Romanian parliamentary elections, Hunor Kelemen, President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, expressed optimism about the party’s chances of joining the next Romanian government. This marks a significant step in ensuring strong representation for Hungarians in Romania.
Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Hamas: if all hostages are not released by 20 January, they will face consequences unprecedented in American history. During his first term, Trump’s peace through strength diplomacy proved highly effective, and there is every indication that he will continue to achieve significant foreign policy successes as President.
In recent days jihadist insurgents in Syria have launched attacks with an intensity not seen in years, raising the threat of reigniting the civil war that began thirteen years ago. On Monday, 2 December Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II to express his support for the Syrian Christian community.
‘Last year, Pope Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war. His use of terminology such as “terrorism”, and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide”, set off a firestorm. In any case, the Pontiff now says in his book: “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies.”’
In a recent analysis former Hungarian ambassador to Israel Levente Benkő highlights that for Israel, Hamas’s brutal attack necessitated a forceful response in order to restore deterrence. He points out that Israel has no choice but to confront its enemies decisively, even with or without the help of the US, starting with Hamas in Gaza. By doing so, while not eliminating resistance to Israel as such, at least prevents it from taking the form of an organized insurgency.
President-elect Donald Trump picked former Chief of Staff of the National Security Council Keith Kellogg as special envoy for the war in Ukraine. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó welcomed the decision, highlighting its significance in strengthening the global peace camp.
‘The ceasefire is a development that aligns with the Trump administration’s anticipated foreign policy approach, which is expected to support Israel’s military objectives while facilitating diplomatic resolutions to regional conflicts. The ceasefire may also pave the way for expanding the Abraham Accords, with potential new agreements involving countries like Saudi Arabia.’
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect early Wednesday morning after 14 months of intense conflict. Under the agreement, Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days as Lebanese troops move in to secure the region.
The Danube Institute organized a prominent conference addressing the geopolitical tensions and opportunities for collaboration in the increasingly significant Indo-Pacific region. During the event experts from nations with interests in the region examined its future prospects through two panel discussions.
‘For Hungary, Clement’s tenure offered little tangible support during one of its darkest eras, while his broader legacy includes the catastrophic Sack of Rome, the expansion of Protestantism, and the Anglican schism. Today, he is remembered not as a leader who rose to the challenges of his time, but as a figure whose reign epitomized the turbulence and contradictions of the Renaissance papacy.’
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
