Before Coca Cola was introduced to Hungarian consumers in 1968, and prior to Pepsi’s 1970 debut in socialist Hungary, the young and the old alike drank and presumably enjoyed an orange soda called Bambi. Earlier today, being in Budapest, I decided to stop by one of my favourite retro-themed cafés–Ibolya Presszó, located in Ferenciek tere–and give Bambi a try, alongside […]
The Hungarian Socialist Party (Magyar Szocialista Párt – MSZP) is at a juncture in its history. After June 25th, the newly minted MSZP president will play a critical role in deciding whether or not the party will join forces once again with other smaller, left-centre parties in 2018, in an effort to defeat Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Fidesz. Two […]
I am travelling to Budapest later this month and I’m scheduled to give two public talks in Hungarian, to very different audiences, yet on interrelated topics. Both events are open to the public and all are welcome! On Saturday, June 18th at 2:00 PM in Budapest’s Köztársaság tér, or Republic Square (now formally re-named II. János Pál pápa tér, after […]
Júlia Mira Lévai is a liberal journalist and author, who was a regular contributor to the now folded Galamus Csoport online news site. On Monday, she wrote a column for the hvg.hu news magazine, in which she referred to recent comments by Tibor Navracsics, a Fidesz politician and currently the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, as a “bombshell.” Mr. […]
The contrast between two Transylvanian towns — Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca) and Marosvásárhely (Târgu-Mureș) could not be greater. Multicultural Kolozsvár, now that it has completely shaken off the rather dark years of ultranationalist mayor Gheorghe Funar (1992-2004), is truly unique in the region. Its city centre is bustling with students, dotted with every variety of cafés, pubs and restaurants, it attracts large […]
András Schiffer, the 44 year old Member of Parliament and co-chair of the Politics Can Be Different (Lehet Más a Politika – LMP) green party announced Monday night that he is resigning from all party positions and is leaving politics. Mr. Schiffer told the online Index news site, in a thorough interview on Monday, that he would be resuming his […]
An increasingly disturbing trend is taking hold in Budapest. A growing number of historic buildings and heritage sites are being demolished or remodelled, with little to no regard for their architectural value, nor for the public spaces around these structures. On May 26th, bulldozers appeared in Bem Square, along the banks of the Danube, to demolish one of the most prominent […]
With a long weekend fast approaching for our American readers (Happy Memorial Day!), we’re offering a little recommended reading from Denis McShane, a former Minister for Europe and retired Labour Party MP from the United Kingdom. Mr. McShane wrote of the “drift to illiberal Pop-Nat” (populist nationalist) politics in much of Europe, and the gradual decline of moderate, centrist and […]
A Hungarian quarterly history magazine entitled Múlt-kor published essays in its spring 2016 print issue on the spouses of seven prominent twentieth century dictators. The magazine is not a strictly academic publication as such, but is rather an effort by researchers to present aspects of Hungarian and world history to a somewhat broader reading audience than one that would be […]
The much needed refurbishment of Budapest’s M3 metro line, which is now potentially a safety hazard for both passengers and the Budapest Transportation Company’s employees alike, is being postponed to November, due to confusion around what type of replacement buses will be used during the two year period when the subway line is out of commission. Budapest officials had earlier […]
