The Battle of the Academy: The war on academic freedom in Hungary enters its next phase Analysis After months of aggressive attacks by the Hungarian government, it's most likely that the three-decade history of the Academy as a free, autonomous public body will be brought to an abrupt end. By Zoltán Gábor Szűcs
Democracy is out of order: CEU forced to leave Hungary Analysis The Central European University (CEU) announced that it is forced to launch all degree programs in a new location in Vienna in September 2019. The Hungarian Government has made it impossible for the university to ensure its operations in Budapest on the long run. By Gabi Gőbl
Veronika Móra: “Solidarity is a very strong force” Interview In Hungary, NGOs are now required to register as “civic organisations funded from abroad” if they receive financial support from a foreign source. The government is trying to delegitimise any organisation that criticises certain government policies, says Veronika Móra. By Silja Schultheis
Lex CEU: A Kafkaesque Affair Interview The Hungarian government’s recently adopted legislation seem to specifically target the Central European University, creating a situation of existential instability. Anna Frenyó spoke with Zsolt Enyedi, the university’s Pro-Rector for Hungarian Affairs about the latest developments.
We Will Stay and Fight Interview On Tuesday, 13 June, Hungary’s National Assembly passed a law that requires NGOs which receive foreign funds above the annual threshold of 24000 EUR to register and label themselves as “foreign-funded organisations” on their websites and in their publications. By Anna Frenyó
The role of irony in the political activism of Hungarian youth In April 2017, a series of demonstrations took place in Budapest against an amendment to the Higher Education Act. They were organised by mostly social media-based groups, but they differed in several aspects from the demonstration culture that has been the norm in Hungary in recent decades. By Andrea Szabó
"It’s about a battle of ideas in which we have to constantly engage our opponents" In the beginning of April, the Hungarian President János Áder signed into force certain amendments to the Higher Education Act which in their particular formulation are obviously directed against the renowned Central European University (CEU), based in Budapest. We discussed with President Michael Ignatieff the implications of the new legislation on the university and its future prospects. By Peter Brod
Orbán vs. the World: The Background Context of the Lex CEU The attack on CEU is one in a series of attempts to eliminate the so-called enemies of illiberal democracy. The government has manufactured a fear-inducing narrative by inventing an imaginary enemy threatening the people of Hungary. By Gabi Gőbl
Orbán’s illiberal experiment: the real danger for Europe this year Europe seems to face a more immediate threat than Le Pen. It comes from a central European country whose governing party belongs to the most mainstream European party, the European People’s Party, Hungary. By Péter Krekó
Report from the trenches: The debate around teaching gender studies in Hungary Academics in the field of gender studies do not normally experience a high level of public interest in their work, yet in recent months things have taken a turn in Hungary. By Andrea Pető