March 12, 2024
Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s controversial stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine helps, primarily, himself. His anti-Ukrainian rhetoric as well as positioning himself as a “pro-Peace” force in Europe and protector of Hungarians bring him – duly needed – domestic plus points.
Austria’s longstanding tradition of permanent neutrality is an integral part of the country’s identity and its approach to international politics. However, the flimsy and incoherent interpretation of it not only demonstrates that there is little consensus on how its neutrality policy should be exercised but also makes it a useful smokescreen to justify politicians’ behaviour and connections to certain states, such as Russia. As Sweden and Finland are giving up their neutrality to join NATO, some argue, it is time to rethink Austria’s neutrality too and finally develop a coherent neutrality policy.
The insurrection that took place in Brazil on January 8, 2023, is eerily similar to the attacks on the U.S. Capitol in 2021. Both Trump and Bolsonaro use the same authoritarian playbook that utilises disinformation to mobilise the public.
Self-proclaimed “conservatives” and members of the far-right like to promote the archaic worldview that women should be homemakers while men go to work to provide for their families. Recently, Orbán’s Hungary made the international headlines once again because the government-allied economic watchdog of the parliament released a report full of such sexist claims and narratives.
On August 1st, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán travelled to the United States to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas. Despite the recent outrage due to his racist remarks during a speech in Romania just the week before, Orbán’s invitation to speak at the conservative conference was not cancelled. Before the start of CPAC, Orbán even met Trump, who called him his “friend” and acknowledged Orbán’s expertise in world affairs. But where does this admiration for Orbán, the leader of a small eastern European country, come from?
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán has been known for his racist sentiments for years. However, his most recent remarks during a speech in Băile Tușnad, a town in Romania where Hungarian minorities live, nevertheless sparked outrage due to their outright racist nature.
During his presidency, Trump had the opportunity to nominate three judges to the United States Supreme Court. Consequently, the Court now enjoys a conservative majority, which is gravely reflected in their recent rulings. These rulings dramatically impact the lives of everyday Americans and push the country further in a conservative direction, even after Trump.
Reproductive rights and abortions have been a salient issue in United States politics for decades and are under constant threat. On Friday, 24 June 2022, a nightmare for many women across America became a reality: The United States Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in a 6-to-3 ruling, thereby eliminating the constitutional right to abortion in the United States after nearly 50 years.
If American politicians do not pass stricter gun control, more and more people will die at the hands of gun violence. The country finally needs to stand up to the gun lobby – otherwise, nothing will ever change.
On Wednesday, April 27, the European Commission took a historic step by finally triggering the Rule of Law Mechanism against Hungary which could result in the country losing its access to EU funds.
