Hungary

Looking back at one of the most notorious episodes in the Games' history, when sport and politics combined in ferocious violence

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán accused European leaders of acting like “colonialists” in their criticism of his controversial law on homosexuality.  Speaking on public radio, the prime minister rebuked cries to repeal the law and hit back at his fellow European Council members.  “They behave like colonialists. They want to dictate what laws should take […]

The European Union’s chief executive has vowed to take the steps needed to stymie a new law in Hungary.  The law in question bans content portraying homosexuality or gender reassignment to children. The Hungarian parliament passed the bill last week, 157-1, but it requires endorsement from president Áder for it to take effect.  The government […]

A war of the words has broken out between Hungary and the European Commission over a new anti-LGBT law introduced in the country.  Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said she was “very concerned” over this legislation which bans content promoting homosexuality and gender reassignment in schools, and with people under the age […]

The prime minister raised “significant concerns” about media freedoms and human rights with Viktor Orban, amid fierce criticism of his decision to meet the controversial Hungarian leader at No 10. Boris Johnson spoke face to face with the right-wing populist Hungarian prime minister on Friday, in a move that was lambasted by opposition figures and […]

Right-wing populist Viktor Orban will visit Downing Street on Friday for talks with the prime minister. Orban’s visit could put under strain the UK’s relationship with the rest of the European Union, where he has been accused of eroding democracy, the rule of law and press freedoms. Eurosceptic Orban previously praised Johnson for delivering Brexit, […]

After a slow start, millions of people across EU countries are now receiving their vaccine – with almost a quarter of people across the bloc having had at least one dose of a Covid-19 shot. That relatively good news – though vaccine progress still lags far behind that of the UK – is marred by […]

Flags have dominated the news agenda in recent weeks as debates about national identity rumble on. If you’ve only been casually checking into the news – and after the few years we have all had, who could blame you? – you might be forgiven for thinking that the world is suddenly quiet. What other possible reason […]

An analysis of European populism explores why it has established deepest roots in two former Iron Curtain states. Authoritarian populists almost doubled their share of electoral votes across Europe between 2001 and 2018 – from 11.8% to 22.3%, according to Swedish think-tank the Timbro institute. There was then a decline after, but it is too […]

Viktor Orban, the Hungarian PM, is acting as a Trojan horse, disrupting the EU from within, argues PAUL KNOTT When last in opposition, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán infamously said ‘we have only to win once, but then properly’. True to his word, Orbán has, through extensive and controversial constitutional changes, hollowed out Hungary’s democratic […]