On June 16th, 1989, a young man named Viktor Orbán held a speech watched by hundreds of thousands of his compatriots. The occasion was the reburial of Imre Nagy, who as a Prime Minister had been the leader of Hungary’s 1956 uprising against the Soviets.
On Wednesday, 11th October I sat on a remarkable podium at the „Budapest Forum”, a conference organized by the City of Budapest, run by mayor Gergely Karácsony, in order to combat „authoritarianism” and „defend democracy”.
I grew up in Western Europe, but live and work in Budapest. Sometimes, Western friends ask me how it compares to other great cities I lived in – say, Paris or Berlin.
While Hungary stands accused of „Rule of Law” deficiencies, Germany’s leftwing goverment has just passed a law that may well end up costing citizens their jobs, if they disagree with the government.
Words don’t come easy when trying to understand the ever more chaotic political landscape in Germany. Maybe it helps to compare some parties to works of literature.
Think tank founder Gerald Knaus proposes to fine Poland 5,2% billion Euros for not implementing an ECJ ruling. In fact, there are no clear rules for imposing fines. This must change.
The EU can inflict murderous financial punishment on states who don’t implement rulings of the European Court of Justice. This instrument has never been used to really hurt a member state – but legally, it can. Poland may soon become the first country to feel the pain. The political consequences could be disastrous for all concerned, including the EU itself.
German authorities began tracking „politically motivated crime” in 2001. In 2020, more such crimes were registered than in any year before. Social tensions are rising.
Populism has become a dirty word in politics, although in its original meaning it should be an elementary democratic virtue. What the People (“populus”) want, expect, express, should be part of the political discussion in any democracy.
This year topic of the Valdai Discussion Club was around the theme of “The Polycentric World: Instructions for Use,” aimed to go beyond merely describing a multipolar world and instead explore how to live in and navigate it.
Political battles between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and “Brussels” are nothing new. Since the early 2010’s, Hungary’s right wing government faced backlash from EU institutions on issues like the adoption of Hungary’s new Fundamental Law and later amendments, or around the passing of new media laws.
When Linz launched the Ars Electronica Festival in 1979, the city was searching for a new identity. Heavy industry was collapsing, the steel crisis hit hard, and local leaders needed an alternative vision. What began as a bold experiment - inviting pioneers of digital art and technology to Upper Austria - has since grown into a global ecosystem of media art, attracting universities, companies, NGOs, and thousands of visitors every year.
What does it mean to be a “Beauty with Brains”? It is a phrase we often used to describe women who defy long-standing stereotypes. For centuries, women were seen as weaker and given fewer opportunities.
Hungary and Italy, while both having presidential systems, have unique mechanism regarding a premature end of a presidential term. In both, the head of state has mainly ceremonial powers, but the expiry of their term is defined by strict constitutional and legal standards. This examination centers on the reasons, the procedure, and the legal effects of a resignation, underlining the structural congruence and the doctrinal inconsistencies between the two systems.
