Hungarian Conservative

Mayoral candidate of Fidesz–⁠KDNP Alexandra Szentkirályi unveiled her seven-point plan for the city at a campaign event on 17 April. Outlined in her plan are measures to tackle corruption, streamline bureaucracy, improve transportation, and enhance cleanliness and orderliness in the city.

Whether Budapest will remain a stronghold of the left is at stake in the municipal elections to be held on 9 June 2024. Mayor of Budapest is practically the highest political office directly elected by citizens in Hungary, but the outcome of the June election is exciting not only because of that but also because the capital has been the scene of daily party political battles ever since the last election in 2019.

During a press conference held at the newly opened MOL Bubi station at the Kopaszi Dam, Budapest Mayor Karácsony Gergely shared that the Bubi 3.0 public bike-sharing system, launching in January 2026, will include electrically assisted bikes. Furthermore, the current fleet will at least be doubled, and the number of stations and service areas will increase.

‘Karácsony’s meagre talents were known to anyone who paid any attention to politics in the past decades, so all of his failures should not have come as a surprise. But why did people vote for him in the first place? What’s his secret? Well, probably his deceiving manner and childish good looks. Although he is obviously a fraud, he is always smiling, always saying nice things. His rhetoric and appearance clearly appeal to the modern liberal voter in the big city: he likes to make emotional speeches about democracy, the Republic, and human rights.’

Budapest’s recognized initiatives as part of the programme included the car-free weekend organized with the involvement of the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK), as well as the European Car-Free Day held on weekdays, during which Mayor Gergely Karácsony presented plans for the human-friendly and green renewal of the lower embankment of Pest. The programme also included events aimed at showcasing best practices in pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly developments, jointly organized with the city of Vienna, targeting both the general public and professionals.

At a press conference titled Park City or Rákosdubai, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony stated that in April they will launch a month-long online voting process where every Budapest resident over the age of 14 with a registered address can express their views on the investment plans for Rákosrendező.

The Budapest electoral committee of Fidesz has nominated Alexandra Szentkirályi as the Fidesz-KDNP candidate for chief mayor of the capital city. From 2014 to 2019, Szentkirályi gained recognition as the youngest-ever deputy mayor, following which she assumed the role of government spokesperson.

The Budapest pass will remain valid throughout the entire capital, and starting from 1 March BKK will accept monthly passes for Pest County and national passes on its routes.

The minister noted a ruling by Hungary’s Supreme Court, declaring that Budapest could not be even partially exempt from its obligation to pay its taxes. Varga said if the Budapest city council failed to meet its obligations, the government ‘will follow the given legal provisions along the clear decisions taken by the judiciary’.

The Mayor deemed the Transport Minister’s fare community proposal, the acceptance of county and country passes in the capital, and the preservation of the Budapest pass as steps in a positive direction on Tuesday, as conveyed through a post on his Facebook page.

The press release by the US DOS claimed that the newly established Sovereignty Protection Office of Hungary is a tool ‘that can be used to intimidate and punish those with views not shared by the ruling party’ and therefore it is ‘inconsistent with our shared values of democracy’. In response, PM Orbán stated that the US government should stop lecturing Hungary.

Tibor Bolla, the CEO of the Budapest Transport Company revealed that the vehicles of the light fleet are adorned with more than five kilometres of LED lights, incorporating 140,000 LED bulbs.

‘Living in a republic means striving to treat each other well,’ the mayor said, adding this was the kind of homeland the heroes of 1956 had wanted. He said the symbol of the revolution, the Hungarian flag with a hole, sent the message that unity was only possible if no one was being told, in the name of any ideology, how they ought to love their homeland.

The ceremony was attended by President Katalin Novák, former Presidents János Áder and Pál Schmitt, House Speaker László Kövér, several members of the government, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of churches and parliamentary parties, and several justices of the Constitutional Court.

After a lengthy period of uncertainty, it was decided that the final traffic arrangement for the bridge would be determined through a consultation process involving residents with a Budapest address. Among the questions posed, the most significant one concerned the future traffic arrangement for the bridge: whether to continue with buses, taxis, and cyclists, or to allow the return of private cars as well. In late June, Karácsony announced the results of the consultation, with 79 per cent of those who voted supporting the car-free option.

Brussels is requesting an additional €98 billion in contributions from member states. Hungary does not approve of this contribution. As Gulyás pointed out, this request raises the question: how have Ukraine and the EU spent their funds so far? ‘Where is the money?,’ he asked. He also posed the same question to Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony, who is embroiled in a campaign finance scandal while he is also claiming that his city is nearing bankruptcy.

Gergely Karácsony’s 99 Movement received over 650 million HUF in funding, mostly after they went inactive with the Budapest Mayor dropping out of the primary race for prime minister. The organisation claims that the bulk of its revenue came from ‘microdonations’ collected in cash in drop-boxes at live events. However, even opposition media admit that this is more than unrealistic given the large sum, and the fact that much of it came in foreign currencies.

A report recently released by the Hungarian Information Centre points out that despite all denials, the election campaign of the opposition parties was funded by sources coming from the American Left. Moreover, the overseas Democratic elite, led by George Soros, had direct ownership influence over the company DatAdat, which managed the campaign.

With the summer season on, you might be wondering what to do if you are a city person who however likes to be close to nature. We have a tip

With the completion of the renovation of the M3 metro line, the implementation of the Reawakening Boulevards urban development concept has entered a new phase. The refurbished metro line and the decreasing motor vehicle traffic in central Budapest now provide an opportunity for the revival of the once glorious boulevards that have been reduced to city centre ‘highways.’

According to the organisers’ statement, the 24th Madame Tussauds production in the world brings 51 lifelike figures and their corresponding installations to the audience. The attraction features 17 Hungarian celebrities created exclusively for the Budapest production in Madame Tussauds’ workshop near London.

At the handover of the last renovated stations of the M3 metro line, Minister for Regional Development Tibor Navracsics reiterated that the investment is important not only for Budapest and Hungary, but also for the European Union. The collaboration between the government, the capital city, and the EU has tangibly materialised through the renovation, he declared, expressing his hope that in the future, with the arrival of EU funds, more such collaborations can be fostered.

According to the minister, representatives presented the delegation with the regulations and fundamental aspects of the spending of EU funds, followed by questions from the committee members. However, Navracsics noted that it was apparent the delegation had not read the background materials sent to them in advance for more detailed information. Also, in some cases, the opinion of certain representatives was heavily influenced by political biases, resulting in occasional factual errors during their questioning.

After a five-and-a-half- year renovation, metro line M3 is to become fully operational on 22 May, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced on social media.

The ‘survival programme’ was approved with 18 votes in favour and 12 abstentions. As a result, the city will take out a 16.6 billion forint loan for project development in 2023. The loan is going to match the support provided in EU funding, central budget allocations and loans granted by the European Investment Bank.

Pope Francis is set to arrive in Hungary on 28 April. During his visit, he will convey a strong message in support of peace in Ukraine, and will meet refugees, children struggling with illness, as well as Hungarian leaders.

His Holiness was treated for bronchitis last week, after he had breathing difficulties as he finished his public audience in St Peter’s Square. His health thankfully won’t be impairing him during his busy Holy Week duties, nor on his Apostolic Journey to Hungary.

The name change may be a desperate attempt to lure away the few voters LMP, Hungary’s only professedly green party, still has, as polls regularly measure close to zero support for the party in the entire population, with Nézőpont having recorded a support of one per cent in February.

Minister Navracsics reminded that the metro reconstruction was carried out in cooperation between the Hungarian government, the Municipality of Budapest and the European Union. Approximately two-thirds of the cost of the renovation was covered from EU funding and one-third has been financed from domestic sources, the minister added.

As customary, this year, too, all major party leaders in Hungary delivered remarks. The messages of the various politicians on the lessons for today of Hungary’s revolutionary and heroic past could not have been more diverse.