Katinka Linnamäki
In this year’s election campaign, argue Katinka Linnamäki and Emilia Palonen, Orbán is facing a formidable, new force. Emerging from the Fidesz cadres in 2023, Péter Magyar launched his attack on Orbán. He has since managed to avoid many of the pitfalls of polarisation that have favoured Orbán previously Read more
Cristian Pîrvulescu
As Hungary heads to parliamentary elections on 12 April, Cristian Pîrvulescu argues that the billboard campaign targeting Zelensky is not merely anti-Ukrainian rhetoric. Rather, it is the latest iteration of a calculated antisemitic strategy, rooted in the 'Horthy tradition', that has powered Fidesz through four consecutive victories Read more
Andrew Richard Ryder
Andrew Richard Ryder argues that Trump is intent on political vandalism that will undermine the postwar rules-based international order. That order may not have been perfect, but Trump's administration desires a return to interwar dog-eat-dog expansionism and virulent nationalism. Forthcoming elections in Hungary in April, and the USA in November, represent an important opportunity to thwart these regressive ambitions Read more
Giada Pasquettaz
Giada Pasquettaz argues that although Trump is indeed a populist, he is a distinct species within the category, and should be treated accordingly. Unlike other populist leaders, Trump does not seek to reshape multilateralism from within. Instead, he rejects it altogether Read more
Alíz Nagy
Hungary is gearing up for national elections in April 2026. The authoritarian Fidesz party – in power for over fifteen years – is campaigning hard in the online realm. Alíz Nagy puts these developments in the broader context of digital authoritarianism Read more
Selina Mabrouki
Populist leaders don’t just claim to represent the people – they embody them. Through strongman toughness or maternal guardianship, populists model idealised versions of a nation’s citizens, and they naturalise exclusion. Selina Mabrouki shows how contemporary populist leaders exploit gendered role models as tools of emotional persuasion Read more
Ilana Hartikainen
Why did Viktor Orbán bring pickles to Parliament? What made Kamala Harris lean into 'brat summer'? And why do politicians flood social media with pets, food, and everyday objects? Ilana Hartikainen and Zea Szebeni argue these aren't random quirks: they're examples of 'banana populism', where politicians build powerful emotional connections with voters through whimsical, mundane imagery Read more
Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni
EU enlargement, without credible enforcement of democratic standards, threatens the Union’s integrity. Cases like Hungary and Serbia expose the dangers of performative reforms and weak accountability. Rafaela Gonzalez Lucioni argues that to remain a values-based project, the EU must reform internal mechanisms and adopt a phased, conditional approach to accession Read more
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