A conservative philosopher calls on European governments to make a pledge on the 800th anniversary of the famous Magna Carta, the first of a long series of documents limiting the power of rulers – a process which ultimately led to what is known today as the rule of law. READ MORE
A conservative thinker suggests that Hungary’s problems are largely due to the kind of institutional pragmatism according to which the founding generation of the post-Communist state tended to neglect the moral side of democracy. READ MORE
Commenting on the unprecedented case of Hungarian officials and businessman banned from entering the United States (see BudaPost, October 20), a well-known conservative philosopher thinks the government should avoid antagonising the United States. READ MORE
A conservative analyst contends that a new model of ‘Europeanism’ is emerging in Central Europe. Central Europeans are realizing that EU integration is only possible at a slower pace. READ MORE
Analysts from both right and left agree that European leaders wanted to send strong symbolic messages through the appointment of Donald Tusk and Federica Mogherini to top EU jobs. A conservative columnist believes Polish PM Tusk’s appointment is good news for Hungary. His left-wing counterpart cautions the Left against harsh anti-Russian rhetoric. READ MORE
Two conservative analysts agree that Fidesz has solidified its power and closed the post-Communist era. They caution the government, however, against utopian social engineering and emphasize the need to rein in containing its own elites. READ MORE
Conservative pundits believe the Prime Minister is now bereft of significant opponents at home as a result of two consecutive elections, and is therefore seeking new battlefields at the European level. This explains, they suggest, why Mr Orbán was the first front-line EU leader to openly defy Jean-Claude Juncker’s nomination for President of the European Commission. READ MORE
Commentators wonder whether or not the next Orbán government will strike a more conciliatory tone, and seek compromises in the economy and in symbolic battles at home and on the European scene. READ MORE
Left-wing and conservative columnists agree that the West cannot stop Russia from annexing the breakaway peninsula. They note that having recognized Kosovo as an independent state the West cannot consistently defend the principle of territorial integrity. READ MORE