If the polls are to believed, 2026 could finally see the end of the 16 years of dominance of Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party, and pave the way for a relatively unknown and definitely inexperienced new government. Yet defeating Orban at the ballot box might not be enough: retaining …

The Hungarian PM’s cautious response to a new law targeting Slovakia’s ethnic-Hungarian minority is creating credibility issues for his Fidesz party on both sides of the border and perhaps opening up an opportunity for Hungary’s extreme-right to benefit. “We do not accept collective guilt, either in our own country or …

Two things can be said about Poland at the beginning of 2026: it is doing well and doing badly at the same time. The Polish economy is growing faster than almost anywhere else in Europe, EU funds are arriving in record amounts, and defence spending is set to reach nearly …