Articles

Over the past 100 years, the region of Central-Eastern Europe (CEE) has always faced distinct kinds of uncertainty; political instability, armed conflicts, geopolitical problems and corruption. The constant fluctuation of the value of money, the frequent changes in constitutional law, economic instability, and inflation have also been leading factors in this continuous uncertainty.

Can Europe attain digital sovereignty? What are the limits of the EU\'s regulatory power? Is the dichotomy between sovereignty and a colony unavoidable? And what is Europe\'s digital grand strategy? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Dr José Ignacio Torreblanca, a Senior Adviser and Distinguished Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

The study commissioned by the Civil Development Forum (FOR) was conducted by Opinia24 between 17 and 21 March 2025 on a sample of 1,000 respondents. The sample was representative of the adult population of Poland in terms of gender, age, education and place of residence (rural areas and cities of different sizes), as well as voting preferences expressed in the 15 October 2023 election. 

After 16 years, illiberalism fell in Hungary. The markets predicted it while Fidesz pollsters and politicians were blindsided, proving yet again that free markets are better than government control.

In 2024, alcohol consumption per capita in Poland was the lowest (8.77 litres of pure alcohol) since 2005, and since 2021 there has been an uninterrupted downward trend in alcohol consumption. We drink about 10% less than in 2019 or 2021. Given that consumption is declining naturally, it does not seem that additional regulations and restrictions are needed.

In early August 2025, the Ministry of Climate and Environment presented a draft act on extended producer responsibility (EPR). The draft raises serious concerns. The Ministry claims that the current system “does not deliver satisfactory effectiveness”. Meanwhile, in 2023 Poland’s packaging waste recycling rate was higher than the EU average. 

The assessment of income taxes is mixed. On the one hand, Poland\'s top marginal tax rates are in many situations lower than, or close to the OECD average. On the other hand, the Tax Foundation points to many elements that fall short of the postulates of simplicity and neutrality of the tax system. 

Alcohol abuse and risky drinking have negative consequences for drinkers and their loved ones, and also pose risks to public health. Reducing the harmful effects of drinking is therefore an important objective for public policies.

The day after election night, Hungary woke up to outstretched arms, ready to embrace its return to Europe. April 12, 2026, stands as a pivotal moment in the history of Hungarian democracy. The victory of Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party marked the end of Viktor Orbán and Fidesz’s 16-year reign, ushering in a new chapter in the country’s modern timeline.

Hungarian voters elected the opposition Tisza party with a landslide, ending 16 years of an illiberal Orbán regime. The constitutional majority vested on Tisza will be needed to undo the crony system, restart the economy and reinstate rule of law, but there are inherent dangers that this absolute power can corrupt the new government.