editorial partner: Liberte! Friedrich Naumann Foundation

Republikon Institute

ABOUT Republikon Institute
Republikon Institute is a liberal think tank organisation based in Budapest, focusing on analysing Hungarian and international politics, formulating policy recommendations and initiating projects that contribute to a more open, democratic and free society. The goal of the Institute is to promote discussion and implementation of liberal ideas, approaches and policies.
Hungary’s Manufacturing Dependency: Economic Vitality or Achilles Heel?
Economy
Hungary’s Manufacturing Dependency: Economic Vitality or Achilles Heel?
Recent economic shocks and the European Union’s focus on competitiveness have directed the spotlight on the dangers of global value chains. With its unique politics of  ‘eastern opening’ and latecomer position to the globalized market economies, Hungary’s strategy in the geopolitical theatre raises many questions. In the following, I will use an interdisciplinary approach to explain the Hungarian manufacturing industries’ global value chain exposures.
Your “Dream” House – Affordable Living Prospects in Hungary and Budapest [Conference Summary]
Think Tank News
Your “Dream” House – Affordable Living Prospects in Hungary and Budapest [Conference Summary]
On December 11, Republikon Institute held an event entitled \"Affordable Housing - Dream or Reality\", which explored the issue of housing in Budapest in a panel discussion with politicians and experts. The panelists of the first panel, all mayors of an individual city district of Budapest, are aware of the housing issues, but there is no universal solution.
Slovakia in Spotlight: Phases of Slovakian Democratic Evolution
Politics
Slovakia in Spotlight: Phases of Slovakian Democratic Evolution
The 1990s brought several significant changes for Europe. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia was dissolved, and as a result, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have since been independent states of the Central and Eastern European region. The focus of European public discourse is not always on Slovak domestic politics, but the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico in 2024 has shocked the continent.
Disparity in Campaign Financing in Hungary’s 2024 EP and Municipal Elections
Politics
Disparity in Campaign Financing in Hungary’s 2024 EP and Municipal Elections
The 2024 EP and municipal elections in Hungary, held on the same day, provide a complex and illuminating study of how financial resources, legal frameworks, and media control shape electoral outcomes. The Fidesz party\'s overwhelming dominance in campaign spending, both directly and indirectly, highlights significant imbalances in the democratic process.
Parallel Realities in Hungarian Public Discourse
Society
Parallel Realities in Hungarian Public Discourse
For most of us, it becomes a frequent, increasingly common, everyday experience that causes anxiety, tension, or simply a bad feeling when a politically charged public topic is discussed during a conversation. We can also say that this phenomenon has become an integral part of Hungarian reality. In most cases, this sentiment is triggered by the fact that we find it increasingly difficult to contrast our opinions or narratives with other points of view.
Relationship between Politics and Society in Hungary: Difficult Legacy of Kádár-Era
Politics
Relationship between Politics and Society in Hungary: Difficult Legacy of Kádár-Era
There is no doubt that the Kádár-era left a deep mark on Hungarian society, which is not surprising after more than 30 years of its existence. In this article, I will briefly discuss, through the concepts of political culture and political socialization, how and to what extent this period, which can be considered the basic experience of many Hungarian citizens, had a significant impact on Hungarian culture during and after the regime change, and still has today.
I Hoped It Was Not Church
Politics
I Hoped It Was Not Church
The most controversial Hungarian story in recent memory includes the resignation of Hungary’s President and a former Minister of Justice, a presidential pardon for an accomplice in a pedophilia crime, and, as it turns out, the leader of the Hungarian Reformed Church. It recently came to light that in 2022 Katalin Novák pardoned a man, who was convicted of coercion while aiding a pedophile in covering up his crimes.