Hungary’s leading alliance of Fidesz and the Christian Democrats continues to hold a comfortable lead over the other parties, according to a new poll by the government-close Századvég.
Hungary’s leading parties are still strong
Taking the voting population as a whole, the ruling parties are backed by 40 percent of voters, with their nearest opposition rival, the Tisza Party, on 31 percent, Századvég told MTI on Monday. The radical Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland) party and the Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) are third with 6 percent each.
The left-wing opposition parties are currently below the 5 percent threshold for seats in parliament, Századvég said.
Altogether 8 percent of the poll’s respondents were undecided.
Among decided voters, Fidesz and the Christian Democrats would capture 43 percent of the vote if an election were held now, the Tisza Party would get 32 percent and Mi Hazánk and MKKP 7 percent each. The left-wing parties would fail to reach the parliamentary threshold.
Századvég conducted the poll this month with a sample of 1,000 adults.
Hungary’s agriculture minister said on Sunday that he was “baffled” by Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar and his supporters’ call for an end to European Union subsidies to grain producers, preserving it only for vegetable and fruit production, and added that it was “the betrayal of the countryside” and would cause an unprecedented increase in food industry prices.
Hungary’s agriculture minister slams Péter Magyar
István Nagy told public radio that all EU agriculture ministers were in agreement that the common agricultural policy of the EU should have an own, separate budget resting on the two pillars of land-based subsidies and rural development. “This would guarantee food sovereignty for Europe and secure food supplies in the future,” he said.
István Nagy, Hungary’s agriculture minister, said it was “a huge success” that the agriculture ministers of 26 member states had accepted the Hungarian EU presidency’s proposal on the future of the common agricultural policy. Work is under way to achieve full agreement in the matter by December, when “a document will be put on the table that the Commission cannot neglect”, he added.
Commenting on the strategic document prepared by the European Commission on the future of the EU’s agriculture, the minister said that whereas the former document reflected the position of “people with two feet on the ground”, the latter had been prepared by a professor who did not “have much to do with the agrarian sector”.
Hungary’s agriculture minister added that the reason the a separate Hungarian proposal had been drafted was that the document commissioned by the EC is unacceptable to many countries, including Hungary, and the farmers.
Péter Magyar in response issued a statement saying that Hungary’s agricultural sector had been destroyed by the incumbent government. He said the government was to blame for the desolation of the countryside and the disappearance of Hungary’s once so famous horticulture, vegetable and fruit growing sectors.
“For 14 years, the Orbán-government’s decisions have been determined by how it can get advantages and free money to its own oligarchs. Orban and his circles have systematically played state-owned land into the hands of their own oligarchs while they have let Asian battery plants occupy our best quality land,” Magyar said in the statement.
He said that under Nagy’s “reign” as agricultural minister, food price inflation was “in a European record” 62 percent while Hungarian farmers had not received any support to offset the unfavourable consequences of sky-rocketing raw material and energy prices.
The Tisza leader also criticised the minister for being unable to protect Hungarian bee farmers “against cheap fake Chinese honey”.
He said his party was promoting a complex village rehabilitation program and an agricultural reform to strengthen family farms and save the Hungarian countryside.
The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has submitted a draft resolution calling for setting up an independent committee to investigate sexual crime committed against children within the church, the party’s deputy group leader said on Sunday.
“Several cases have proved in recent years that children in Hungary are not safe. Paedophile monsters are there in the schools, foster homes, sports clubs and in Catholic institutions as well,” Ágnes Vadai told an online press conference.
She said there were no committee or institution in place working with independent civil experts. “And in the past years it depended solely on the decision of the Catholic Church’s leaders whether a child abuse case was investigated or hushed up,” Vadaisaid, criticising the incumbent government over its failure to investigate those cases.
She said that the committee her party proposed would have ten members delegated by the Catholic Church and the other ten civil members assigned by parties with deputies in the Hungarian parliament and in the European Parliament.
“A committee with such a structure can achieve that a balanced, thorough and comprehensive investigation is conducted and that crimes within the Catholic Church come to light,” Vadai said.
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The government is planning to introduce a predictable wage increase scheme spanning several years, one of the issues to be included in the new National Consultation public survey, a government official said on Saturday.
Balázs Hidvéghi, a state secretary at the Prime Minister’s cabinet office, said in a video on Facebook that the wage increase programme would be an important topic in the National Consultation survey that focuses on the government’s new economic policy.
Significant wage increases have been carried out in recent years, affecting such public sector workers as nurses, doctors, teachers, kindergarten workers, policemen, fire fighters and soldiers, he said. Wage increases have been ongoing also in the business sector, with the minimum wage and the minimum wage for skilled workers having been increased by three and a half-fold compared to the period when a left wing government had been in power, Hidvéghi said. Average wages have almost more than tripled since then, he added.
Hidvéghi said the aim was to have increased income for families concurrently with the strengthening of the economy.
A new agreement is needed between employers and employees about a wage increase programme spanning several years, he said. This will enable a rapid increase in the minimum wage and the minimum wage for skilled workers, as well in the average wage, he added.
“We want the [monthly] minimum wage to reach 400,000 forints (EUR 1,000) and the average wage 1 million forints,” Hidvéghi said, adding that everyone would soon get a chance to express their opinion on the matter in the next National Consultation survey.
Achieving the government’s wage goals will require the minimum wage to rise by an annual 12pc, on average, in the coming three years, representatives of employers and unions at wage talks with the government told MTI on Thursday. Laszlo Perlusz, the chief secretary of business association VOSZ, noted that the government aimed to bring the minimum wage up to EUR 1,000/month over the next three years, while raising it to 50pc of the average wage, excluding bonuses, by January 1, 2027. That will require a 12pc annual minimum wage increase, on average, over three years, he added.
He said an acceleration of economic growth would provide the foundation for a wage increase of that scale, but added that wage convergence needed to be supported by payroll tax cuts and economic development programmes, such as the Demján Sándor Programme for SMEs, to boost corporate efficiency, too. Without state support, wages can’t rise faster than productivity in a sustainable manner for years on end, he said.
He added that the VKF, a forum of employers, unions and the government, would next meet to discuss wages on November 11. Imre Palkovics, who heads employers’ association MOSZ, also said achieving the government’s wage targets would require 12pc annual minimum wage increases. He added that achieving GDP growth of 3-6pc in 2025 was another condition.
220,000 unemployed in Hungary, jobless rate grows
Hungary’s jobless rate for people between the ages of 15 and 74 stood at 4.5pc in September, data released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) on Friday show. In absolute terms, there were 220,000 unemployed. The number of employed averaged 4,699,000 in September, down 32,000 from twelve months earlier. KSH noted that the drop was from a high base.
For the period January-September, average employment numbers were little changed at 4,709,000. The number of people on the primary employment market edged up to 4,545,000. The number of Hungarians working abroad was little changed at 108,000. The number of people in fostered work programmes dropped by 10,000 to 56,000.
The employment rate for the 15-64 age group edged up 0.2pp to 75.3pc. Data from the National Employment Service (NFSZ) show there were 228,000 registered jobseekers at the end of September, up 0.2pc from twelve months earlier. Jobseekers spent 11.9 months, on average, looking for work, but 45pc of the jobless found new positions in under three months. The percentage of jobless who had been looking for work for at least one year reached 34pc.
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Business leaders from Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina met at a forum in Budapest on Friday. Hungary is committed to supporting Bosnia-Herzegovina’s accession to the European Union, as it would be beneficial for the country’s peace and prosperity, in itself an important factor in the Western Balkans’ stability, Szijjártó said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said over 60 executives from Hungarian companies and 32 from companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina participated at the forum. He added that the government would continue to support local businesses that seek to expand in the Western Balkans.
Among the Hungarian companies at the forum, Szijjártó pointed to ones in the machinery, environmental, energy, farming and food industries that were “among the global leaders” in their sectors.
He noted that annual bilateral trade between Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina had leveled out at over EUR 500m in recent years. Hungary’s farm, machinery, pharmaceutical and chemicals sectors account for most exports to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Hungary imports mainly metal industry products from Bosnia and Herzegovina, he added.
Photo: MTI
Szijjártó said the government would continue to back Hungarian companies’ presence at trade fairs in Mostar and Tesanj.
Hungary committed to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s EU integration, says FM Szijjártó
Hungary is committed to supporting Bosnia-Herzegovina’s accession to the European Union, as it would be beneficial for the country’s peace and prosperity, in itself an important factor in the Western Balkans’ stability, Szijjártó said.
Speaking after talks with Nermin Niksic, the prime minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Szijjártó told a joint press conference that stability in the Western Balkans was especially important at difficult times.
Hungary’s policies regarding neighbouring states are rooted in constant dialogue and mutual respect, Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.
“We are doubtlessly among the few who can maintain dialogue with all players of domestic politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Szijjártó said.
Hungary prioritises communication with Western Balkans states rather than talking about them, which Szijjártó said was more common in the EU. “We think that relations based on mutual respect of these countries’ sovereignty and will is crucial.”
Peace and prosperity in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also key to the region’s stability, he said.
Hungary is therefore supporting the accession procedure, which has been slow, he said. Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership in 2016, but negotiations only started last March, he said.
Hungary helps Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Hungarian presidency of the European Council is working to have the negotiating framework adopted as soon as possible, “which will need a few legislative measures in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he said. As soon as that happens, Hungary will urge the European Commission to hold an intergovernmental conference establishing the negotiating framework as soon as possible, he said.
There is a chance the process could clear that hurdle this year, during the Hungarian EU presidency, Szijjártó said.
Those steps will need unanimous support from all member states, Szijjártó said, adding: “In my experience, some member states … proclaim one thing publicly but say another behind closed doors when it comes to enlargement.”
Hungary, meanwhile, is ready to train 50 Bosnia-Herzegovina public administration officials, “because [EU] integration is a complicated matter requiring experts.”
Szijjártó expressed his sympathies with the victims of recent floods in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and noted that Hungary had sent emergency aid worth 25 million forints to the disaster-hit area, including water pumps and tents.
“But we know the problem is bigger than that, and infrastructure has been badly damaged, so I assured Mr Prime Minister that Hungary is ready to help with the reconstruction as soon as they have the plans and schedule ready,” Szijjártó said.
National economy minister meets with Bosnia and Herzegovina deputy PM
National Economy Minister Márton Nagy met with Vojin Mijatovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s deputy prime minister and minister for development, business and industry, in Budapest on Friday, his ministry said.
The sides discussed ways to deepen bilateral economic and financial ties, such as in the areas of tourism and energy, the ministry said. A bilateral Joint Economic Commission will meet at the end of 2024 with a focus on business development, it added.
Nagy highlighted Hungary’s commitment to the integration of countries in the Western Balkans, adding that their European Union accession could improve the competitiveness of the bloc. He noted that economic growth in the region was “far above” the average in the eurozone.
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The government will put around 40 more castles up for privatisation in January, Construction and Transportation Minister János Lázár said in Békéscsaba, in south-eastern Hungary, on Friday.
Local councils applying for the privatisation scheme will have to compete with well-capitalised companies like oil and gas company MOL, OTP Bank, pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter, Magyar Bankholding and ICT group 4iG, Lázár said.
The minister said the upkeep of castles “tends to be the hobby of the richer localities” because of how much it costs, adding that the state had also made attempts to save Hungary’s castles, but it was necessary to involve private capital.
He said the Wenckheim Palace in Szabadkígyós, in the southeast, still needed 7.7 billion to 8.6 billion forints (EUR 19.1m-21.3m) worth of renovations. “A well-capitalised partner is needed that can invest in both its renovation and upkeep,” he said, adding that this would cost around 8-10 billion forints over the next ten years.
Wenckheim Castle. Photo: FB/Szabadkígyósi Wenckheim-kastély hivatalos oldal
Lázársaid there was a level playing field for all bidders for the Wenckheim Palace. He pointed out that the bidding companies also considered the preservation of historical monuments a part of their corporate social responsibility.
Photo: Instagram/NOF
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Hungary is ready to build a mutually beneficial cooperation with Cuba as a country that has an open, export-driven economy and is seeking the possibility of cooperation with any willing country, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after meeting his Cuban counterpart in Budapest on Friday. According to Szijjártó, it has not happened for 41 years that Cuba’s foreign minister visited Budapest.
At a joint press conference with Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Szijjártónoted that the last time a Cuban foreign minister had paid a visit to Hungary was in 1983. He said that despite their geographical distance of almost 9,000 kilometres there were areas of cooperation for the two countries to further explore, according to a ministry statement.
The minister announced that they had signed cooperation agreements including one in science and innovation that allows coordinated developments in the area of health-sciences, for instance in biotechnology and nuclear medicine. It could also contribute to the soonest possible achievement of carbon neutrality and food safety, he said.
Szijjártó with HE Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. Photo: FB/Szijjártó
He noted that under the cooperation ten Cuban students would continue to receive a state scholarship annually to study at a Hungarian university.
“And an agreement concluded between our foreign affairs institute and Cuba’s research institute for foreign affairs will allow young people specialised in foreign affairs studies to expand their knowledge,” the minister said.
Cuban FM came from BRICS summit
Szijjártó said that since his Cuban colleague arrived in Budapest straight from the BRICS summit in Kazan, he could get information “first hand” about that event.
He noted the upcoming meeting of the European Political Community’s leaders scheduled for early next month in Budapest and expressed hope that once in future the leaders of major western and eastern countries will sit down to the same negotiating table, “enabling that the next decades of the world should be about connectivity and respectful global cooperation rather than about the emergence of blocs”.
The minister said such a development would be highly needed at a time when mankind was facing challenges that affected all people irrespective of their political orientation, sympathies or the geographical location where they live.
“Nobody can hide from war, terrorism or challenges posed by energy and food safety. These are all global problems that need global solutions; and global solutions can only be found if we are capable of building up a respectful global cooperation.”
“Hungary will do its small part in promoting that, since we believe in dialogue, to have a dialogue is a lot better than having none….,” the minister said.
Hungarian foreign minister supports easing embargo on Cuba
Meanwhile, Szijjártó said that Hungary also supported the resolution to be submitted for a vote next week in the United Nations General Assembly on easing the US embargo on Cuba.
“And before some busy-bodies file reports claiming that what an anti-West position Hungary has endorsed again, I would like to emphasise that [the resolution’s support] is a uniform position of the European Union,” said Szijjártó, adding that an agreement signed between the EU and Cuba a couple of years ago could not take effect in full in the absence of EU-member Lithuania’s ratification.
“Interestingly, the international liberal mainstream has not labelled Lithuania for being a member that undermines European unity. Whereas, interestingly, labelling comes immediately when Hungary happens to reject a measure in the EU.”
Szijjártó noted that Hungarian-Cuban cooperation looked back on a long past, adding that the two countries will mark the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties next year.
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The government is working to establish transport hubs on the Hungarian Plain, and Békéscsaba, in the southeast of the country, will become one of them, Construction and Transportation Minister Janos Lázár said in the county seat on Friday.
After talks with city leaders, Lázársaid the sides had agreed that the government should include Bekescsaba and Szolnok in the government’s development plans for the cities of Szeged, Kecskemét and Debrecen. They also discussed extending the M44 expressway to the border with Romania and expanding road no. 47 into a dual carriageway, he added.
In addition to cross-border connections between the Hungarian cities of Nyiregyhaza, Debrecen and Szeged, and their Romanian neighbours of Satu Mare, Oradea and Timisoara, now Békéscsaba and Arad, across the border, would become a transport hub, supporting Bekescsaba’s role as a logistics and distribution centre, he said.
Békéscsaba Mayor Péter Szarvas said he was “optimistic” that the city’s development, both in terms of economy and quality of local services, would continue to accelerate in the coming five years.
Lázár in Békéscsaba. Photo: FB/János Lázár
Lázár said adding another 43km to the M44, bringing it to the border with Romania, would cost around HUF 300bn. He added that the HUF 6.5bn contract on planning the extension had been signed.
He said the expansion of road no. 47 would start north of Bekescsaba, first on the stretch to Szeghalom, and later to Berettyóújfalu.
He said funding had already been earmarked to plan a bypass on the southern fringe of the city.
He said that efforts would be made to accelerate the development of the city’s airport and put the cost of reconstruction, implemented in part as a military project, at HUF 20bn.
Other possible investments discussed included a railway container terminal, a new stadium and swimming pool, and the paving of dirt roads, he said. Rolling stock that serves the region will be upgraded starting in 2025, he added.
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The Danube Institute, a prominent international ideological centre supported by the Orbán government, has spent over half a billion forints in public funds on foreign personnel over the past three years.
According to a report by Átlátszó.hu the institute’s activities, have raised questions about adherence to U.S. lobbying laws. Some U.S.-based collaborators reportedly authored political articles for American publications without registering as foreign agents, as required by U.S. law.
Source: Facebook / Orbán Viktor
The Danube Institute’s goals
The Danube Institute’s stated mission is to promote conservative and national values through conferences, publications, and research by visiting scholars. While it employs Hungarian experts, it also attracts foreign journalists, academics, and members of think tanks, many of whom regularly contribute to conservative media globally.
These visiting scholars, or “fellows,” receive substantial financial compensation, which forms a significant part of the institute’s budget. In recent years, operating costs have escalated: HUF 76.76 million (around EUR 200,000) was spent on visiting researchers in 2022, HUF 179 million (around EUR 460,000) in 2023, and a record HUF 284.6 million (around EUR 740,000) in 2024. These expenses are largely covered by public funds managed by the Lajos Batthyány Foundation, a public-interest entity.
In addition to funding researchers, the Danube Institute also supports conference speakers with its funding. While the highest speaker fee in 2024 was HUF 36.6 million (about EUR 94,000), most receive significantly less, with typical fees ranging from HUF 200,000 to HUF 400,000 (approximately EUR 500 to 1,000). These figures illustrate the institute’s growing financial investment in its international network.
The American connection
One of the Danube Institute’s key allies is the Heritage Foundation, a U.S.-based conservative think tank with an agenda that aligns closely with Orbán’s policies. This partnership could influence U.S. policy significantly if Donald Trump were to secure a second presidential term. The Heritage Foundation is leading the “2025 Project,” a strategic plan aimed at restructuring the U.S. federal government by placing Trump-aligned conservatives in key roles. Certain elements of this initiative are reportedly inspired by Orbán’s consolidation of power, reinforcing ties between the Heritage Foundation and the Danube Institute.
Source: Facebook / Orbán Viktor
Compliance issues with U.S. lobbying laws
Some of the Danube Institute’s U.S.-based collaborators have reportedly been commissioned to produce political content for U.S. media, raising potential compliance issues with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Under FARA, individuals working on behalf of foreign governments or entities must register if they engage in political activities or lobbying in the U.S.
The Danube Institute employs foreign researchers who contribute to media outlets in both the U.S. and Europe, some of whom have contracts specifying a focus on U.S. media. This practice may qualify as lobbying and thus necessitate registration, as engaging in activities designed to influence public opinion in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign entity falls under FARA’s purview. As of now, no foreign researchers associated with the Danube Institute have registered under FARA, raising concerns about potential legal repercussions.
The global influence of the Danube Institute
While the institute’s U.S. initiatives have attracted considerable attention, its influence extends well beyond America. The Danube Institute has forged partnerships with numerous European think tanks and political entities, including organisations linked to the Polish government. These collaborations bolster Orbán’s ideological influence across conservative circles in Europe, cementing Hungary’s status as a model for right-wing political movements across the continent.
Hungary’s foreign ministry has summoned Croatia’s ambassador to Budapest over recent comments made by Ivan Anusic, Croatia’s defence minister.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in response to a question at a joint press conference with his Cuban counterpart on Friday that Hungary strives for the best possible relations with all of its neighbours, including Croatia.
“And this is why it’s unexpected that the Croatian defence minister appears to have chosen a new sports discipline, which is insulting Hungarians,” Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement. “There was no antecedent to this, which was why we ignored the minister’s first remark, but I refused to ignore the second one.”
“I respectfully ask the Croatian government not to drag us into their domestic political debates with their president,” he added.
Photo: FB/Ivan Anusic
“We have nothing to do with the debate between the Croatian government and president; they should settle this among themselves and shouldn’t insult Hungary under the guise of this debate in the future,” the minister said. “I don’t think our bilateral relations warrant them involving us in this debate.”
Szijjártó referred to Croatian President Zoran Milanovic’s refusal to approve a government proposal for Croatia to participate in a coordinated security assistance and training plan for Ukraine that was approved at this year’s NATO summit.
Ivan Anusic, the defence minister, then said at a committee meeting that Croatia’s refusal to back the plan would make it “similar to Hungary”. Two days later he said that Croatia opting out of a military role would put it on the side of Serbia and Hungary “which openly support Russia”.
Croatian Ambassador Mladen Andrlic was received at the ministry by the deputy state secretary responsible for the region.
According to 444.hu, Ivan Anusic mentioned Hungary during a parliamentary debate. He said Hungary questioned Croatia’s territorial integrity. That is why we do not participate in the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine programme. He added Hungary and Serbia openly supported Putin, and Croatia should not be similar to Hungary.
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Budapest’s concept for hosting the Olympics in the future should come with “historic” levels of urban development instead of just sports-related investment projects for their own sake, Gergely Karácsony, the city’s mayor, told a press conference on Friday.
Historic urban development needed for the Budapest Olympics, says Karácsony
Karácsony’s remarks come after the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) and the Hungarian Paralympic Committee (MPB) on Thursday presented a request to the city assembly regarding the participation of his administration and party officials in an exploratory process regarding a possible future Budapest Olympics.
The mayor said Budapest could only host the Olympics if the event had majority support behind it and if it involved “historic” urban development.
Budapest will have to examine what hosting a Summer Olympics would mean, Karácsonysaid, pointing out that the MOB and the MPB’s request did not mean that an immediate decision had to be made, but that the city should debate what kind of an Olympics it could host.
Photo: FB/Karácsony
He said the request could not be denied, and the city would have to explore this opportunity without making any commitment to host the event.
Budapest residents will decide
Karácsony said that at next week’s session of the city assembly he will recommend that he and elected city representatives take part in the planning process together.
He said that if they could find common ground with the MOB and the MPB then they would also have to hold talks with the government because its guarantee was a necessary part of the process. He added that once a concept was finalised, it would be up to Budapest residents to make a decision on bidding for the Olympics.
Karácsony said Budapest already had the sports infrastructure for hosting the Olympics, adding that the city’s plan should involve “historic levels” of developments in transport, green infrastructure and housing rather than more sports-related investment projects. He said it needed to be made clear that Budapest was facing a housing crisis, and a future Olympic village should also be suitable for increasing the number of student hostel spaces and rental homes.
The Olympics Park in Budapest, Hungary. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Meanwhile, Karácsony said there was “no point” in talking about a Budapest Olympics if the city and the government could not put their relationship on a new footing.
In response to a question, the mayor said he still believed a local referendum on the Olympics was necessary, but a national referendum may also be a possibility. He also said a realistic timeframe for a possible Budapest Olympics would be between 2036 and 2044.
He pointed out that the Hungarian government had not fulfilled its obligations regarding the 2023 World Athletics Championships. When questioned, he indicated that the government had failed to transfer half of the EUR 123 million “Healthy Budapest” support scheme.
Liberal rainbow coalition must get the capital’s budget “back on its feet”
Responding to the press conference, Alexandra Szentkirályi, the head of Fidesz’s Budapest chapter, called on Karácsony to clarify the city’s financial situation and “manage the bankruptcy”.
Szentkirályisaid on Facebook that though an Olympics could bring with it developments that would serve the long-term interests of Budapest’s residents, “until the liberal rainbow coalition gets the capital’s budget back on its feet, no serious discussion on the Olympics is possible.”
She said Fidesz had always supported an Olympics to be hosted by Budapest, adding however that “as long as the city is nearing bankruptcy, the matter is not timely”.
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France’s Framatome will deliver fuel rods to Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant from 2027 under an agreement signed on Friday, Attila Steiner, the state secretary for energy policy, said at a press conference in Budapest.
Steiner called the agreement, signed by Framatome and MVM Paksi Atomeromu, “an important step” from the perspective of supply security. The agreement was preceded by a memorandum of understanding signed by the Energy Ministry and Framatome in September 2023, he added.
The agreement was signed by FramatomeCEO Bernard Fontana and MVM Paksi AtomerőműCEO Peter Janos Horvath and deputy-CEO Pal Toth in the presence of Energy Minister Csaba Lantos.
Steiner said Paks had built up a significant strategic inventory of fuel rods in recent years.
Fontana said the agreement paved the way for Paks to get fuel rods in the long term in a dependable manner. Framatome is happy to participate in the diversification of Paks’s fuel rod supply, he added.
Hungary will continue opening towards China, Levente Magyar, the foreign affairs parliamentary state secretary, said at an event at House of Music Hungary on Thursday, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary.
Magyar noted the “intense and fruitful” diplomatic events between Hungary and China in recent years, highlighting Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Budapest this year, when the two countries elevated their cooperation to a strategic partnership.
China has established such a relationship with a very narrow group of countries, the state secretary said, adding that the strategic partnership between the two countries was an important milestone of the past decade of developments.
Photo: MTI
Hungary received 44 percent of total Chinese FDI into the EU last year, Magyar said, adding this was a testament to the importance of Hungarian-Chinese cooperation, given that Hungary accounts for about 1 percent of the EU economy.
He noted that there are now four direct air links between Hungary and China.
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Pro-government media is undeniably one of the most potent tools for Prime Minister Orbán’s administration. For instance, the government controls all regional newspapers, providing a significant advantage over opposition parties. However, PM Orbán remains dissatisfied with current government messaging and intends to make substantial changes.
Orbán’s discontent and planned overhaul
As we detailed in THISarticle, based on Szabad Európa’s information, PM Orbán has voiced dissatisfaction with the performance of his candidates, pro-government media outlets, and overall strategy following the 9 June European Parliamentary elections. Sources informed Szabad Európa, an independent Hungarian media outlet, that Orbán plans to replace underperforming MPs and candidates, potentially including Fidesz deputy head Szilárd Németh. The prime minister appears dissatisfied with the newer generation of Fidesz leaders, who, he feels, have not worked hard enough for their successes. Additionally, Orbán is encouraging more public endorsements to deflect future criticisms.
Who will be in target during Orbán’s purge? Photo: MTI
Despite these measures, the prime minister faces a strong challenger for the first time in over 15 years. Recent polls show Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party leading Fidesz by 1-2%—a situation Hungary has not witnessed since 2006. Magyar’s success has multiple roots, from Hungary’s economic crisis and stagnant GDP and wage growth to recent Fidesz scandals, such as the resignation of President Katalin Novák, alongside Magyar’s exceptional communication skills.
Orbán’s critique of pro-government media
Unwilling to risk a potential defeat in the 2026 elections, Orbán has begun sharpening his focus. In his 23 October speech, he labelled Péter Magyar a “Brussels puppet” who would uncritically implement EU policies. However, he recognises that only a stronger, more dynamic pro-government media network can effectively convey this message to the public.
23 October commemoration of the Tisza Party in Budapest. Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán
According to Forbes, Orbán intends to diversify the pro-government media network. This restructuring aims to create a broader, more intellectual communication spectrum, with a wider range of content and outlets, as an insider revealed to the Hungarian press.
In a recent speech at Kötcse, a private gathering for his supporters, PM Orbán was critical of government-aligned influencers and the homogeneous nature of current messaging. He emphasised that they must not only hold but win the debate on various key policies, from healthcare and education to transport infrastructure.
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Much is at stake at the Romanian parliamentary and presidential elections, and the success of ethnic Hungarian party RMDSZ is a guarantee to good Hungarian-Romanian relations, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said in Sfantu Gheorghe (Sepsiszentgyörgy) on Thursday. About the outgoing Romanian President Iohannis, he said that he brought “more disappointment than joy”.
Speaking at a panel discussion as part of a tour of Transylvania, Gergely Gulyássaid that cooperation had been considerably better between the governments every time RMDSZ was part of the Romanian ruling coalition, “and the life opportunities of Transylvania Hungarians were significantly better, more expansive, wider”.
“Therefore, everything must be done to ensure that RMDSZhas the largest possible representation in the Romanian parliament,” Gulyás said. Chances are good for a better-than-before result, “but all Transylvania Hungarians must grasp the importance of the best possible results of presidential candidate Hunor Kelemen and RMDSZ candidates,” he said.
Laying the cornerstone of the new building of the Hungarian university Sapientia operating in Romania. Photo: MTI
The Romanian state “should be proud of the achievements of Transylvania Hungarians in the past decades, rather than seeing them as opponents,” Gulyás said at the discussion with Arpad Antal, the mayor of Sfantu Gheorghe, and Kovászna county council president Sándor Tamás.
Minister: Klaus Iohannis “brought more disappointment than joy”
Gulyás said Romanian-Hungarian relations had been “changing” since the fall of communism, adding that the decade-long presidency of Klaus Iohannis “brought more disappointment than joy”. “Romania could not accept the traditions and symbols of Transylvania Hungarians, and the outgoing president was not a unifying force in that respect,” Gulyás said, expressing hope that the new president and parliament could bring improving relations.
Photo: FB/Iohannis
Hungary has been cooperating with Romania to promote the country’s Schengen accession, and aims to bring about a decision making Romania a full member of the Schengen Area during Hungary’s presidency of the EU council, he said, adding that “there’s a chance of a decision in December”.
The EU is losing its competitiveness in comparison with China, and protecting the external borders of the Schengen Area is the only way to prevent the “implosion of the internal border-less zone”, Gulyás said.
Gergely Gulyás and RMDSZ President Hunor Kelemen. Photo: MTI
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Gergely Karácsony, the Mayor of Budapest, has pledged to present a request from the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) and the Hungarian Paralympic Committee (MPB) to the city assembly. This request pertains to the participation of his administration and party officials in an exploratory process concerning a potential future Olympic Games in Budapest.
Housing crisis in Budapest
Karácsony stated that he and the leaders of the assembly’s party groups should collaborate with the Hungarian Olympic Committee in this joint exploration, as he mentioned in a post on Facebook on Thursday.
The mayor added that while the city does not require major sports facilities, it is worth investigating “all possibilities for revitalising Budapest’s public spaces and transport, while also alleviating the housing crisis.”
Photo: FB/Karácsony
Karácsony also noted that residents of Budapest should be consulted on whether they wish to host the Olympic Games in the city.
However, he stressed that elected city representatives must first participate in the planning process. “I will ask them to engage in this at next week’s session of the city assembly,” he wrote, adding that he has invited Zsolt Gyulay, the chairman of the MOB, and László Szabó, the chairman of the MPB, to attend the assembly session.
Orbán cabinet did not comply with previous agreement
During a press conference, Karácsony mentioned that Budapest might host the Summer Olympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. However, he acknowledged that numerous tasks must be addressed beforehand. He pointed out that the Hungarian government had not fulfilled its obligations regarding the 2023 World Athletics Championships. When questioned, he indicated that the government had failed to transfer half of the EUR 123 million “Healthy Budapest” support scheme.
The National Athletics Centre built for the 2023 championships. Source: Facebook/Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ
Karácsony also stated that he would only support the organisation of the Olympic Games in Budapest if it were a green and sustainable event. He noted that while most of the necessary buildings are ready, the city’s infrastructure is ill-equipped to accommodate the influx of tourists and athletes. Therefore, hosting the Olympic Games is only feasible if the government recognises Budapest’s leadership as a partner. He also suggested that Szeged could host the kayaking and canoeing competitions to mitigate the excessive concentration of sporting events in the capital.
Referendum on the Olympic Games
Experts have pointed out that the Paris Olympics demonstrated how competitions can be relocated to unconventional venues. In Paris, for instance, the Seine was used; in Budapest, the Danube is cleaner than its French counterpart, making it feasible to move the swimming marathon there. Experts have also proposed utilising museums for sporting events during the Olympics to promote sustainability.
Karácsony concluded that the final step in preparing for the Olympics would be a referendum in Budapest. The Momentum Movement advocates for a national referendum on this issue beforehand.
This initiative concerning the potential organisation of the Olympic Games in Budapest was the focus of Karácsony’s press conference:
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Former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris 48% to 46% nationally, with margin of error of 3.1%, according to CNBC’s All-America Economic Survey. In 7 swing states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – Trump leads Harris 48% to 47%, with margin of error of 4%.
As the US presidential election approaches, the most recent polls show former President Donald Trumpleading Vice President Kamala Harris in the race, with the economy playing a role in voters’ decisions.
A poll released Thursday by CNBC’s All-America Economic Survey showed that Trump leading Harris 48% to 46% nationally, with a margin of error of 3.1%.
In the seven battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – Trump leads Harris 48% to 47%, with a margin of error of 4% for that portion of the poll.
Trump in Las Vegas. Photo: FB/Trump
This survey highlighted that many voters view the economy as the most important issue, with a significant number trusting Trump to handle it better than Harris.
According to the CNBC survey, 42% of voters believe they would be better off financially if Trump is elected, compared to 24% for Harris.
About 29% felt their financial situation would remain the same no matter who wins.
Similarly, a poll conducted by the Financial Times in collaboration with the University of Michigan Ross School of Business yielded similar findings. It revealed that 44% of voters trusted Trump more on economic issues, while 43% supported Harris.
According to the poll, when asked who would help them financially, 45% chose Trump, while 37% picked Harris.
Photo: FB/Harris
Meanwhile, RealClearPolitics, which tracks national and regional polls, found Harris leading by 0.3 percentage points nationwide. But, Trump holds a 0.9-point lead in the seven swing states.
Another recent Wall Street Journal survey, released on Wednesday, found Trump two percentage points ahead of Harris nationally. The poll showed Trump with 47% and Harris with 45%.
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The government’s new economic action plan could produce “fantastic results” in 2025, if Hungary follows through with its policy of economic neutrality, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a weekly interview with public radio on Friday.
French President’s key role
Orbántold Kossuth Radio that the package of 20-25 measures could lift Hungary’s economic growth rate over the rates of all of the rest of the countries in Europe.
Orbán said French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as Mario Draghi, the former European Central Bank governor, had drawn “harsher conclusions” about the state of Europe. Macron, he added, had warned that Europe’s economy “could die” if urgent measures were not taken to improve the bloc’s competitiveness. The topic of Europe’s economic difficulties is not unique to the Hungarian perspective but an opinion shared by European leaders, he added.
“Now the Hungarians aren’t the only ones in the crowd that see the emperor has no clothes,” Orbán said.
He acknowledged the French president’s “key role” in establishing a new, more competitive European economy.
He noted that Hungary would host a summit of the European Political Community on November 7 to discuss Europe’s economic competitiveness. He added that EU leaders would hold a summit one day later, dedicated to the subject of the community’s competitiveness. He noted that the summit would take place just two days after the US presidential election “which could easily create a completely new situation in world politics”.
Photo: FB/Orbán
Hungary should remain neutral
On another subject, Orbán argued for economic neutrality and said that Hungary had to go its own path.
Around the fall of communism, when it became clear that the Soviet economic model was not competitive, Hungary switched to capitalism and took over elements and institutions of the market economy that had made Western countries successful, Orbán said.
Orbán said now it was the western world that was in trouble, and Hungary could not take over Eastern economic methods “because they are impossible to imitate for cultural reasons”. He warned, however, that “if Hungary continues along with the West … in the end we will fall into the abyss and die together with the Western economy.” So Hungary’s only solution, he said, was to shape an economic model to fit its own culture, from the examples seen worldwide. “We must take over everything that’s good for us from the West as well as from the East, but nothing that’s not good for us. To keep it simple, we call that approach and policy economic neutrality,” Orbán said.
Orbán radio interview in the Kossuth Rádió. Photo: MTI
Orbán insisted that “a cold-war philosophy which has taken over the West” since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine had “presented itself in the economy, too.” “Reviving the Cold War is a bad idea,” he said.
Staying away from Ukraine-Russia war
Hungary has the right to pursue an economic policy of its own, Orbán said, adding that “it is just a matter of ability, courage and skill to enforce that right.” If Hungary managed to stay out of the Russia-Ukraine war, it would “stay away from an ill-advised economic policy built on war logic,” he said. He added that the Hungarian government “needs to do well at talks in the closed back rooms of politics … but Hungarians have never performed poorly there, and there is no need for us to feel inferior.” “We usually do well in difficult power talks, and we have stayed away from the war and received written guarantees that we won’t have to participate in the war during the term of the new NATO secretary-generay,” Orbán said. The Hungarian government has negotiated the continued possibility of purchasing gas and oil from Russia, while “the whole of the European Union distances itself from Russian energy”, he added. “We have always found room for manoeuvre … there is no point in holding the low-spirited belief that the great countries would suppress us anyway,” the prime minister said.
“One would have thought that there is no room to manoeuvre in the Russia-Ukraine war, because if the whole European Union sings the same tune, one country could not stay out; still we did,” Orbán said, adding that “they are up to their eyes in a losing war, and Hungary isn’t, because we’ve never joined”.
“If God helps us, those standing for peace replace those rooting for war in America, and President [Donald] Trump returns, we will be relieved because we are no longer alone,” Orbán said.
“Mr Prime Minister, go away”
According to Orbán, a decision orchestrated by the European People’s Party had been made in Brussels. “They said it is over Mr Prime Minister, go away, you and your government, here we have a new prime minister to be and a would-be ruling party; we in Brussels support them,” he said.
Orbán insisted that this had been expected “as the same thing happened in Poland, and then came Prime Minister Donald Tusk.”
“Brussels wants a jawohl-government,” Orbán said.
Hungarians, however, are expected to resist that pressure, “we don’t want a puppet government”.
“This is not just a question of power; Brussels has economy policy disputes with Hungary, and it would seriously impact the people if we gave in … the question is not who the prime minister is but what ramifications the people will suffer,” he added.
The EU wanted higher PIT, and that Hungary scrap taxes on multinational companies and the utility price caps which are largely born by the same companies, he said. The EU had also called for a pension reform “that would amount to scrapping the 13th month pension”, they would reform farm subsidies and strip or reduce funding for 160-170,000 Hungarian farmers, Orbán said.
Those “in cahoots with Brussels” will be implementing those programmes, he said.
At the same time, economic policy will be determined largely by whether the war in Ukraine expands further, he said. “If Donald Trump returns and wins, the chances of that happening will be zero.”
Spending more on military
Otherwise, the war and the constant danger of escalation will warrant an economic policy allocating a larger part of GDP to military expenditures, he said.
He said it was in Hungary’s “fundamental interest” for a government to be in power in the United States that would say the war in Ukraine must spread no further. “If that happens…we’ve put together a package that can bring the Hungarian economy out of the difficult period it has been in since 2020,” he added.
He noted that the economy had been on the upward path until 2019, when it was hit by the pandemic, then the war, the impact of sanctions policies and inflation. “We need to find a way out of that difficult 4-5 year period, and I think we have found it,” he added.
The government’s new economic action plan could produce “fantastic results” in 2025, if Hungary follows through with its policy of economic neutrality, Orbán said.
Orbán said the package of 20-25 measures could lift Hungary’s economic growth rate over the rates of all of the rest of the countries in Europe.
Orbán said talks between employers and unions on wage increases were “progressing well”. He said the average wage could reach HUF 1 million/month “in the foreseeable future”, while the minimum wage could be raised to HUF 400,000/month in the coming years in the framework of a multi-year wage agreement.
New National Consultation
Regarding the National Consultation survey, Orbán said it was aiming “to strengthen foundations”, as “the only point of reference in the fight with Brussels is the will of the Hungarian people.”
“If Hungarians call for economic neutrality and an independent Hungarian economic policy … used to raise wages and tackle housing issues, then that can be protected,” he said.
Orbán proud on the new national consultation:
The National Consultation strengthens Hungary and the government, “that is how we created 1 million new jobs, and migration wasn’t stopped by the government alone — Hungarians have communicated their expectations first,” Orbán said.
Meanwhile, “Brussels bureaucrats and a few larger states” said the migration pact was a good thing, and voted to speed up implementation. Hungary’s opposition, with the exception of the Our Homeland (Mi Hazank) party, has also voted in favour, and supported penalising Hungary and withholding border protection funding, Orbán said. “Fidesz-KDNP politicians fought well but we weren’t enough in the European Parliament, maybe we will be more successful in the European Council.”
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