politics

What structural strategies must the political center implement to effectively reclaim the future for liberal democracy? How can governance bodies connect abstract concepts to the everyday lived experiences of citizens? What distinct emotional promises allow the populist right wing to capture public dissatisfaction so effectively across Europe? And how does the algorithmic, endless design of modern news feeds erode public trust and dismantle our capacity for reasoned political debate?

It is safe to conclude that Fidesz’s dominance was not sustained through policy persuasion alone, but through a political environment in which potential alternatives were systematically delegitimized before they could gain sufficient traction.

Ever since the 2000s, Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party had focused on the media; they considered control over the press as a major ingredient to success. Unlike the previous Socialist government who had had capital salvaged from the times of Hungary’s transition to democracy, Fidesz did not have their own press outlets.

What should we know ahead of the 2027 presidential election in France? What topics will likely dominate the political debate ahead of the election?  What has recently changed in terms of Marine Le Pen\'s candidacy for the president? Where does the enormous support base for the Rassemblement National come from? And what is the legacy of President Emmanuel Macron?

The new government in Bulgaria is proposing a budget with a deficit of 5.7% of GDP, or EUR 7.2 billion. And this is happening in the country with the lowest unemployment in the European Union — the lowest since records began.

For yet another year, Bulgaria spends the most on its judiciary as a share of GDP among all EU member states — 0.7%. By comparison, Ireland and Cyprus, which spend the least in this respect, allocate only 0.1%. Bulgaria is also the record-holder in terms of the judiciary\'s share of total public spending.

How dangerous is the far-right in Germany? What should we know about the rise of neonazi terrorism? And what is the role of the secret services in Germany? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jacob Kushner, an international journalist who reports on migration, terrorism and violent extremism.

Some Members of Parliament in Czechia seem to want to copy an infamous Russian law aimed against NGOs. Jindřich Rajchl, elected on the ballot of the far-right SPDparty, proudly stands behind this initiative.

For a long time under Orbán’s illiberal regime, the common sentiment on the street was that the EU should intervene to help Hungarians. This was, of course, unrealistic, and should the EU have intervened more, Orbán would have used it to get Hungary out of the Union. The EU, however, is still in the focus of sentiments on the streets.

How has the recent election transformed the Bulgarian political scene? What will be the European priorities of the newly formed government? What is Rumen Radev\'s main message? And what was his secret that helped him ensure a win? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Maria Simeonova, the Head of the Sofia office at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).