MEP Neumann: I have no problem with white men. I just have a problem when only white men are at the table Interview Some are complaining about quotas, but those complaints are the best indicator that we need them, says German MEP Hannah Neumann. She confirms that it was partially a stroke of luck to “sneak the F-word” into the European Parliament Report on Gender Equality in EU Foreign and Security Policy that she co-authored, calling on EU Member States to adopt a Feminist Foreign Policy. By Lucia Yar
Pegasus in Hungary: A Surveillance State Unmasked Analysis The hacking of dissidents worldwide is even more widespread than we thought. This year’s largest cross-border investigative undertaking, the Pegasus Project, has revealed that at least 10 governments have used sophisticated Israeli spyware to gather information on human rights activists, independent journalists, and opposition politicians. The only EU member in the pool of offenders was Hungary. This might not be an unexpected development for most readers, but it is a further blow to both independent journalism and the sanctity of citizens’ privacy. By Konrad Bleyer-Simon
Culture Wars and the Battle for Hegemony Essay The first in a series of essays dedicated to the phenomenon of what is known as the culture wars of Central Europe explains the concept in its original American context, as well as its shift to Europe. This kind of conflict, unlike a historical dispute or ideological debate, is primarily about power. By Zora Hesová
Chinese Fudan University plans in Budapest spark protests in Hungary Analysis Four years ago, thousands spilled onto the streets of Budapest to keep the acclaimed Central European University (CEU) there following Prime Minister Orbán’s witch hunt against its 1991 founder, the Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros and the institutions related to him. Despite massive national and international support for CEU, the government used a complicated set of accreditation requirements to push the university to relocate its American-accredited programmes and the bulk of its operations to Vienna. By Anna Frenyó
Orbán’s Informal System – Always in Motion Analysis The 2022 general election will be the first in 16 years in Hungary that has not been decided before the campaign even starts: Viktor Orbán might score his fourth victory in a row, but due to the cooperation of six opposition parties, he might lose, too. One thing looks certain: neither side will have a two-thirds mandate in Parliament. By Róbert László
Inhuman Calculations: How the Hungarian Government Selects a Group to be Scapegoated Analysis On 15 June, the majority of Hungarian MPs – representatives of the Hungarian Civic Alliance (FIDESZ) and the Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) – voted for a bill that contained several provisions added to the original draft act, originally intended to enhance the protection of children and tighten sanctions against pedophile offenders. These new provisions introduce an explicit, harsh ban on the "portrayal and the promotion of gender identity different from sex at birth, the change of sex and homosexuality" for persons under the age of 18. By Bea Sándor
The bitter feud between the Fidesz government and Hungarian municipalities Analysis In 2019, Fidesz suffered an unexpected defeat in local elections, triggering an unequal struggle between the national ruling party wielding its two-thirds constitutional majority and the now opposition-led municipalities. The conflict may come to a head during next year's parliamentary elections. By Áron Varga
The shift in governance models for Hungarian universities Analysis The example of how the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest has had its governance model recently transformed can help us understand the nature of the changes now underway that are reaching into the depths of the Hungarian societal structure. By Árpád Kocsis
Plan for completion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant continues to pose a security threat Analysis Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček refused to exclude Russia’s Rosatom from the tender until it was revealed that operatives from Russian military intelligence, the GRU, were behind the 2014 explosions at munitions warehouses in Vrbětice. Even now, however, the Russian candidate is not out of play entirely. How is that possible, and what does it mean for Czech security? By František Marčík
The sociopolitical requirements of a potential democratic transition in Hungary Analysis What might be done with PM Orbán’s political system after a potential opposition victory in 2022, considering that it is built mostly on informal power and privatized economic-financial resources? These questions are currently being debated mainly as issues of public law. Unfortunately, little is being said about the sociopolitical requirements for the democratic transition the opposition so desires. By Róbert László