Hungarian

• The Hungarian government has requested an extraordinary parliamentary session for next Monday and Tuesday, marking the seventh such session since June. • Lawmakers will debate and vote on eight legislative proposals, focusing on key areas including railway reform, energy policy, and asset recovery. • A significant point of the agenda includes the disclosure of state security records from the communist era to increase transparency.

• The Hungarian parliament passed a sweeping constitutional reform that resulted in the removal of President Tamás Sulyok from office. • The overhaul reshapes key national institutions, prompting a boycott by Fidesz and Christian Democratic (KDNP) lawmakers who spent Monday mourning the loss of Hungarian democracy. • This move is significant because it dismantles the original constitutional architecture designed to preserve checks and balances by staggering presidential and parliamentary terms.

• The Hungarian Parliament approved the 17th amendment to the country's Fundamental Law on Monday, marking one of the most significant constitutional overhauls under the Tisza-led government. • Key judicial reforms strengthen the role of judges in appointing and dismissing leaders of the Curia and the National Office for the Judiciary, while reducing their mandates from nine to six years and banning reappointment. • A new 12-year term limit for members of Parliament has been introduced, disqualifying politicians who have already served three terms from running in future elections.

• Hungary's flagship public news channel, M1, suspended its news programming on Tuesday after new leadership was appointed by the Tisza Party’s parliamentary supermajority. • The new management issued a formal apology for "years of political distortion" and lying, signaling a break from the previous media landscape. • This blackout is a central component of a broader government overhaul aimed at dismantling the public media system established during the Orbán era.

• Hungarian state television has temporarily suspended its news broadcasts to undergo a comprehensive revamp of public service media. • The move follows a decree by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who aims to transform the network into a "balanced, objective," and "credible" news service. • This overhaul includes an immediate review of the media's operational structure and its current financing methods.

• Hungarian public media outlets, including M1 TV and Kossuth radio, have suspended broadcasting following a political shake-up after the removal of Viktor Orbán. • Péter Magyar, who previously vowed to dismantle the "factory of lies," hailed the move as the end of state-sponsored propaganda broadcasts. • The action follows a campaign where state media heavily demonized Magyar, labeling him a traitor and a puppet of Brussels.

Péter Magyar hails ‘end of propaganda broadcasts’ as Kossuth radio and M1 TV channels suspend transmissionHungarian public media outlets close to Viktor Orbán have suspended broadcasting, the country’s prime minister said as he hailed efforts to dismantle the longtime nationalist leader’s control over information.Péter Magyar, who ousted Orbn in a landslide election victory in April, wrote on Facebook: “A historic day. Today marks the end of propaganda broadcasts on public media platforms. They lied at night, they lied during the day, they lied on every wavelength. That is now over.” Continue reading...

• The European Commission has officially confirmed that Hungarian intelligence officers operated out of Hungary’s Permanent Representation in Brussels to target Commission officials. • An internal document obtained by POLITICO substantiates these claims, contradicting previous denials from Viktor Orbán’s government, which had labeled the allegations as politically motivated. • This development is significant as it provides formal evidence of espionage activities conducted by a member state against the EU's own administrative body.

• The European Union has scaled back its accession timetable for Ukraine and Moldova due to renewed resistance from Hungary. • The EU now aims to unblock only two accession clusters before the summer break, a significant reduction from the original goal of five. • This shift highlights the ongoing diplomatic friction and the power of individual member states to stall the integration process for candidate countries.

• The G7 summit in 2026 saw leaders adopt nine declarations, though US President Donald Trump reportedly viewed the event as a political stage rather than a diplomatic forum. • The group is facing a shift where economic and technological issues are increasingly being used as tools for geopolitical competition and classical power politics. • To maintain a leading role in upholding the rules-based international order, the G7 must strengthen its global legitimacy.

• The European Parliament has approved the toughest deportation policy in the history of the European Union. • Right-wing MEPs celebrated the decision with cheers of "send them back," sparking a heated confrontation within the chamber. • Progressive groups, including Liberal, socialist, green, and far-left MEPs, condemned the celebrations as disgraceful and accused supporters of using racist rhetoric.

• Fitch Ratings reaffirmed Hungary's BBB sovereign credit rating but maintained a negative outlook due to weak economic growth and deteriorating public finances. • The agency cited fiscal uncertainty and a larger-than-expected decline in fiscal indicators leading up to the April parliamentary elections as primary concerns. • This rating is significant as it highlights the challenges the new government faces in restoring budgetary stability and managing unpredictable fiscal policies.

• A new analysis by the MCC Brussels suggests that EU sustainability mandates and restrictive building regulations are contributing to extreme indoor heat during heatwaves. • In countries including Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria, the installation of fixed air-conditioning is hindered by a complex web of noise limits, heritage controls, and environmental permits. • The report argues that the EU's "green-building dogma" prioritizes environmental targets over human comfort, leaving residents unable to cool their homes effectively.

Policy U-turn comes after rightwing nationalist government was swept from power in April after 16-year ruleEurope live – latest updatesPolice in Hungary have said they will allow next month’s Pride parade in Budapest to take place, signalling a reversal from last year when they sought to block the event on the orders of the government of the rightwing former prime minister Viktor Orbán.Last year’s march made headlines around the world after Orbán’s Fidesz party backed legislation – the first of its kind in the EU’s recent history – that created a legal basis for Pride events to be banned, citing a widely criticised need to protect children. Continue reading...

• Hungarian lawmakers voted 133 to 37, with five abstentions, to formally repeal a law that would have seen the country exit the International Criminal Court (ICC). • The decision reverses a previous initiative led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to withdraw from the global judicial body. • This legislative move is significant as it ensures Hungary remains a member of the ICC, maintaining its commitment to international justice and legal accountability.

• The Hungarian Parliament voted 133-37 to repeal a previous decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), reversing a move initiated by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. • The withdrawal had been announced by Orban as a gesture of support for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant, with Orban claiming the court had become "political." • The reversal was driven by a bill introduced by the new Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, signaling a shift in Hungary's international legal alignment.

• Hungarian MPs have voted to remain members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), overturning a previous decision to withdraw from the organization. • The reversal follows a landslide election victory last month for new Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who vowed to undo the exit process before it took effect on June 2. • The original withdrawal was initiated in April last year by former leader Viktor Orbán, who labeled the ICC a "political court" while hosting Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Since Péter Magyar’s election victory he has vowed to reverse withdrawal from court before it took effectLawmakers in Hungary have voted overwhelmingly for the country to remain a member of the international criminal court, reversing a decision made by the previous government of Viktor Orbán.Wednesday’s vote came days before the country was poised to become the only EU member state not to recognise the jurisdiction of the global tribunal, which aims to prosecute those accused of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Voters remain split on issues critical to EU, such as support for Ukraine and dependence on Russian energyMore than three-quarters of Hungarians who voted for Péter Magyar in last month’s election want his government to do more to address the climate crisis, and more than 70% want him to protect LGBTQ+ rights, a poll has found.Magyar’s opposition Tisza party won a supermajority in the vote, bringing an end to Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power. The new prime minister will be sworn in on Saturday, weeks after the results set off celebrations in Budapest and Brussels. Continue reading...

Individuals such as Matt Goodwin and Lord Frost benefited from largesse of self-styled ‘illiberal democracy’UK politics live – latest updatesThe last 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s rule have been kind to a number of British political figures – from the Tory peer David Frost to Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin and James Orr.All benefited from largesse extended by the self-styled “illiberal democracy” established by the Hungarian leader’s ruling Fidesz party, which took a particular liking for those on the harder right of British conservatism. Continue reading...

Prime minister elect says he expects new government to be in place by mid-MayElection winner Péter Magyar has confirmed work is under way to form the new Hungarian government by mid-May after holding talks with the country’s president, Tamás Sulyok, a loyalist of the outgoing prime minister, Viktor Orbán.The two leaders discussed the timetable for new parliament, which can be formed not before 4 May when the results of the Sunday’s vote need to be certified by, with Magyar saying he expected the new government to be in place by mid-May.“[Sulyok] is unworthy of representing the unity of the Hungarian nation. He is unfit to serve as the guardian of legality. He is not fit to serve as a moral authority or a role model.” Continue reading...

Win for Tisza party ends rightwing populist’s 16-year grip on power and will likely reshape country’s relationship with EUHungary election liveHungary’s opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, has won the general election, ending leader Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power, in a result that is likely to rattle the White House and reshape the country’s relationship with the EU.Less than three hours after polls closed on Sunday, Orbán conceded defeat after what he described as a “painful” election result. Continue reading...

Rightwing leader trails in polls to Péter Magyar, despite support from JD Vance on recent visitHungarians are heading to the ballot boxes to vote in a hard-fought parliamentary election that could oust Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power and potentially reshape the central European country’s relations with the EU, Moscow and Washington.In the campaign, Orbán – the EU’s longest-serving leader – has trailed in the polls as he faces an unprecedented challenge from Péter Magyar, a former elite member of Orbán’s Fidesz party. Continue reading...

US vice-president says on visit to Budapest ‘we had to show’ support for Viktor Orbán, as opposition leads pollsHungary elections: what is at stake and who is likely to win?JD Vance has pushed back against claims that the US is interfering in Hungarian politics, describing the accusations as “darkly ironic”, as a set of polls suggested the opposition Tisza party could win a supermajority in the upcoming elections.After spending his first day in Budapest excoriating the EU and accusing it of being behind one of the “worst examples” of foreign interference, the US vice-president spent part of Wednesday morning speaking at a thinktank and educational institution linked to Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orbán. Continue reading...

Incident prompts political scrutiny across Hungary as Viktor Orbán trails in polls before next Sunday’s electionSerbia has said it found “explosives of devastating power” near a pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Hungary and beyond, sparking claims by Hungary’s leading opposition candidate of a possible “false flag” operation aimed at influencing the country’s elections.On Sunday, Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, said he had been informed by Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, of the discovery near an extension of the TurkStream pipeline, which transports Russian gas through the Balkans to central and eastern Europe. Continue reading...

The rightwing populist has been in power for 16 years but a new generation of voters are preparing to vote for his opponent, polls suggestAs he rushed to finish off his cigarette before heading to class, Ákos, 20, confessed that he has more at stake than most as Hungarians prepare to head to the polls in the coming days.“If things remain the same, or get even worse, I can’t see a future here,” said the aspiring teacher. “There are many people who want to try living elsewhere, and that’s totally fine, but I’m not one of them. For so long I’ve dreamed of working and teaching here.” Continue reading...

Péter Magyar, who is leading in polls, says Orbán’s government is ‘betraying Hungarian and European interests’Europe live – latest updatesThe candidate leading the polls in Hungary’s upcoming elections has said the alleged sharing of confidential EU information between Budapest and Moscow should be investigated as possible “treason”, while the European Commission has called for “clarifications” over the alleged leaks.Péter Magyar, a conservative anti-corruption campaigner, who is mounting the most serious challenge to Viktor Orbán’s 16-year-long grip on the Hungarian premiership, said the government appeared to be colluding with Russia, “thereby betraying Hungarian and European interests”. Continue reading...