Hungary

World Congress of Families XI meeting, Budapest Congress Center, May 27, 2017, Budapest, Hungary.

Home front: Part II

Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive this week into the World Congress of Families, an organization that has helped shape and share a reactionary agenda among conservatives across the globe.

Home front: Part II
Pastor Gábor Iványi, one of Hungary’s best-known religious leaders, stands in his office near a photograph.

This pastor officiated Orbán’s wedding. Now he’s one of his fiercest critics.

This pastor officiated Orbán’s wedding. Now he’s one of his fiercest critics.
The Great Synagogue of Dohány Street in Budapest, Hungary.

'Nothing Orbán says is by accident': Jewish leaders in Hungary grapple with anti-Semitic tropes in politics

'Nothing Orbán says is by accident': Jewish leaders in Hungary grapple with anti-Semitic tropes in politics
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a panel discussion with a white blurry background.

Orbán portrays himself as a ‘defender of Christianity.’ Critics aren’t so sure.

Orbán portrays himself as a ‘defender of Christianity.’ Critics aren’t so sure.
Roma radio presenter Szandi Minzari and co-host Melanie Nagy are both divorced, single mothers who speak about taboo issues in Hungary's Roma community.

A new Roma radio station gets people talking about taboo issues in Hungary

A new Roma radio station gets people talking about taboo issues in Hungary
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban arrives for the an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders to discuss Ukraine, energy and food security in Brussels

Hungary's Orban wins exemption in EU Russian oil embargo

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban wins significant concessions with the EU, allowing his country to continue purchasing Russian crude, despite the bloc saying that it plans to cut off 90% of Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

Hungary's Orban wins exemption in EU Russian oil embargo
A train passes by Republika Power Plant in town of Pernik, Bulgaria, April 21, 2022. The only nuclear power plant, generating over a third of Bulgaria’s electricity, runs on uranium from Russia.

EU proposes oil ban after bloc’s largest economy drops opposition

Germany has now been able to slash its dependence on Russian oil since the war in Ukraine started in February. But Hungary and Slovakia — still heavily reliant on Russian oil — still oppose the deal.

EU proposes oil ban after bloc’s largest economy drops opposition
Woman in white fencing gear trains with her coach standing behind her wearing black

'It never feels routine,' says Hungarian fencer Aida Mohamed, on her 7th Olympic Games

Aida Mohamed says she's putting in longer hours and she's more experienced, but she's as excited now as her first time at the Olympics in 1996. She joined The World's host Marco Werman to talk about her fencing career and the bubbling anticipation as the Tokyo Games begin.

'It never feels routine,' says Hungarian fencer Aida Mohamed, on her 7th Olympic Games
The Allianz Arean in Munich is shown illuminated in the colors of the rainbow with the night sky in the background.

UEFA declines Munich application for rainbow-colored stadium

German soccer clubs are banding together to display rainbow colors during the country's match against Hungary at the European Championship after UEFA rejected host city Munich's plan to do the same.

UEFA declines Munich application for rainbow-colored stadium
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is shown wearing a blue suit and orange tie while speaking at a podium with two microphones.

Hungary's parliament overhauls higher education amid outcry

Hungary's parliament on Tuesday voted to transfer state assets worth billions of dollars into foundations that will control many of the country's public universities and cultural institutions, a move opposition figures have decried as a theft of public funds.

Hungary's parliament overhauls higher education amid outcry
A man holds a flag and sticks his arm out of a car window, smiling and celebrating.

Montenegro was a success story in troubled Balkan region – now its democracy is in danger

Western leaders learned the hard way 25 years ago that conflict in the Balkans can become ethnic cleansing. Add Russia into the mix, and Montenegro's new problems are US and European problems, too.

Montenegro was a success story in troubled Balkan region – now its democracy is in danger
The statue by Hungarian artist Péter Szalay shows solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

Hungary artist’s BLM sculpture causes an uproar    

The installation by artist Péter Szalay is a kneeling sculpture of the Statue of Liberty, illuminated in rainbow colors with her left hand raised in a fist. A tablet in her right hand says: “Black Lives Matter.” 

Hungary artist’s BLM sculpture causes an uproar    
A worker wearing a face mask clears snow from the roof of a bar, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Dec. 5, 2020.

European leaders approve stimulus package; Argentina moves to legalize abortion; SCOTUS rules on no-fly list

European Parliament lawmakers have finally approved a coronavirus stimulus package in a compromise that allows EU funds to be made conditional on respect for European values. Argentina moved toward legalizing abortion, a step closer to honoring a promise made by President Alberto Fernández. And the US Supreme Court ruled Muslim Americans included on the no-fly list after refusing to become informants can sue federal officials.

European leaders approve stimulus package; Argentina moves to legalize abortion; SCOTUS rules on no-fly list
James Smurthwaite stands next to the obituary sign he made to honor his late neighbor Eugene Deutsch. 

A Paris neighborhood honors 92-year-old Holocaust survivor who died after COVID-19 bout

Eugene Deutsch was a neighborhood figure known for making the daily rounds at local cafés and bakeries. He died alone in his apartment during the lockdown in Paris.

A Paris neighborhood honors 92-year-old Holocaust survivor who died after COVID-19 bout
Mike Pompeo in a suit and face mask in front of a plane and the US and Israeli flags

Pompeo visits Israel; Europe wants a summer travel season; Lebanon counters second virus wave

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Israel, where Iran, China and the annexation of occupied Palestinian territories is on the agenda. Europe is optimistic about a summer travel season. But Lebanon, facing a potential resurgence of the novel coronavirus, has locked down. And Malaysia is applying lessons from its experience with the Nipah virus. In Shanghai, Disneyland is reopened — but pandemic precautions are making their mark on the magical place.

Pompeo visits Israel; Europe wants a summer travel season; Lebanon counters second virus wave