On 12 April, Hungary heads to the polls. For the first time in years, a change of government seems within reach. The election could mark a turning point in Hungary’s relationship with the European Union, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has long played the role of disruptor in common European policymaking.
Over the past decade, Orbán has become the symbol of Hungary’s break with the European consensus. In Brussels, his government has repeatedly used its veto power to delay or block decisions on migration, sanctions and financial support. Most recently, Budapest stalled an EU aid package for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia, once again highlighting the fragility of European decision-making.
At the same time, these years of confrontation have exposed deeper structural weaknesses within the Union. Proposals for a European ‘core group’ or a multi-speed Europe are increasingly put forward as ways to overcome political deadlock. But are these the right solutions? And what lessons should the EU take from the past decade in order to become less vulnerable in the future?
In the run-up to the elections, we look ahead to what is at stake in Budapest, how likely political change really is, and what the outcome could mean for the future of Europe.
Speakers
Hoe raakt het conflict in het Midden-Oosten de Nederlandse energiezekerheid?
Na de Russische inval van Oekraïne, wilde Europa zich loskoppelen van Russisch gas. In hoog tempo is er uitgeweken naar alternatieve energiebronnen. Zoals LNG uit bijvoorbeeld Qatar, maar dat land heeft op zijn beurt momenteel de gasproductie stilgelegd vanwege het conflict in Iran. Hoe afhankelijk wil en kan Europa zijn van externe energieleveranciers?
Met de oorlog in Oekraïne is de Europese geschiedenis blijvend veranderd. Robert Serry, de eerste Nederlandse ambassadeur in Oekraïne, maakte de aanloop naar en het uitbreken van het conflict van dichtbij mee. In zijn nieuwe boek Nog is Oekraïne niet verloren blikt hij terug op de diplomatie achter de schermen en de escalatie die uitmondde in de grootschalige Russische inval van 2022.
What is free of speech, and who is allowed to make use of it? In his book What Is Free Speech? The History of a Dangerous Idea, Fara Dabhoiwala traces the origins of free speech, examining for whom it was invented and the cultural implications it holds today. Is free speech under attack in our present day society – and what then is exactly under attack?
