Hungary

Myanmar’s State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi is visiting the Czech Republic and Hungary – her first visit to Europe since the mass expulsion of the Rohingya. This could be a first step to reopen dialogue between Myanmar and the West – but tough questions need to be posed about her handling of the Rohingya question and other human rights concerns.

The Central European University (CEU) announced that it is forced to launch all degree programs in a new location in Vienna in September 2019. The Hungarian Government has made it impossible for the university to ensure its operations in Budapest on the long run.

On 12 September the European Parliament voted in favour of starting procedures against the Hungarian government for breaching European values. We asked Hungarian MEP Benedek Jávor how he evaluates the outcomes of the vote.

Orbán openly threatens the EPP and uses the topic of migration as a pretext to gain credit and form new alliances in the EU. He also continues buidling an illiberal state passing a legal and constitutional package which is deadly for democratic institutions. However ignoring Orban only creates a huge wave of democratic backsliding in the EU. 

The name Visegrad in Western European terminology has become synonymous with a lack of solidarity and nationalist politics. In Hungary, however, it also has implications for the future of democracy in Western Europe. How can the EU recover its appeal?

The foreign policy of the new Orbán government is rather 'obstructionist' than constructive. Orbán aims to create a sphere of influence on the Western Balkans and together with Poland form an Eastern block against the central European power. He is also inclined to make frequent use of it's veto right towards the EU.

After the general election in April 2018 Hungary is drifting further away from the European values towards becoming a Eurosceptic and populist Russia-friendly illiberal undemocratic state. An inside into the countrie's stading and the role of the EU.

Viktor Orbán and his closest allies have taken control of most of the Hungarian media. Journalists at loyal outlets are expected to closely follow instructions from the state apparatus; in exchange, they receive advertising money from government institutions.