10 April 2026
After Collapse
Ten years after the Hungarian government began its campaign against Central European University, Hungary now stands on the brink of a political turning point: elections that could finally shake the system built by Fidesz. With opposition leader Péter Magyar leading in the polls, an old prediction is suddenly coming true. Yet it raises a more unsettling question: even if the system collapses, can Hungary simply rebuild what once proved so vulnerable to illiberal capture? Continue reading >>
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10 April 2026
Nach dem Kollaps
Zehn Jahre nachdem die ungarische Regierung ihre Kampagne gegen die Central European University begonnen hat, steht Ungarn nun an der Schwelle zu einem politischen Wendepunkt: Wahlen, die das von Fidesz errichtete System erstmals ins Wanken bringen könnten. Mit Oppositionsführer Péter Magyar an der Spitze der Umfragen bewahrheitet sich plötzlich eine alte Prognose. Zugleich drängt sich eine beunruhigendere Frage auf: Selbst wenn das System zusammenbricht – kann Ungarn einfach das wiederaufbauen, was sich einst als so anfällig für illiberale Vereinnahmung erwiesen hat? Continue reading >>03 February 2025
Four Reasons Why Illiberal Politics Appropriated the Memory of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
In this contribution, I am analysing the reasons for the appropriation of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. I argue that these reasons are four-fold: First, the memory of 1956 has been divided from the start. Second, half of the population, namely women, were excluded from this memory. Third, the revolution was a bottom-up event. Fourth, the transition after 1990 was built on the concept of authenticity and truth made the narrative vulnerable to illiberal appropriation. Continue reading >>
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