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Europe
Hungary
March 30, 2026, 7:08 AM Orbán has become an icon in the global ’far-right’ movement. The Orbán government defines itself as both Christian-national and illiberal. 'Admirers' approve of his opposition to immigration and curtailing of LGBTQ+ rights, and applaud benefits to young families such as abolishing income tax for mothers with multiple children and providing state-backed loans to first-time homebuyers. Yet "such measures have not translated into youth support' for Orbán, who 'has drifted away' from partners in the European Union in favor of closer relations with Russia and China. Tisza has built his campaign on promises to end Orbán's 'drift' toward Russia and to 'revive the stagnating economy by recovering' billions in EU funds that are blocked. While many young people view Orbán's family support policies positively, their “very strong sense of justice is incompatible' with ’the authoritarian' exercise of power. “Young people, wake up!” Orbán said at a rally last week. “These are not times for taking risks, experimenting or trying new things. Believe me, today only Fidesz and my humble self can provide this country with security.” While Tisza 'leads in the polls’, its victory is far from assured. A generational gap 'is widening', Orbán has a lead among older voters and in much of the countryside. Loyal to the prime minister, Prépos, a retiree, said at one of Orbán’s recent campaign rallies that she was very happy with the government's pension policies, pension supplement for retirees, and that she's supporting Fidesz because it helps young people. “When I was young ... I didn’t get anything. Now young people have a lot of help,” she said. (Source: ABC News / Associated Press= U.S.)
by 'Spike'
Mar 27, 2026 14:13 IST One of Europe's longest-serving leaders, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been the PM of Hungary since 2010, has urged that Nato alliance should join the US to end the conflict swiftly with Iran as soon as possible. He believes that any delay could spiral into a wider crisis with a fresh wave of refugees into Europe and far-reaching consequences for Europe and the world, particularly for smaller nations like Hungary. Orbán made the remarks in an interview with journalist Nawfal, a geopolitical observer himself. 'To go in, it's easy. To get out is almost impossible,' Orbán said, drawing on his experience witnessing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Energy vulnerability compounds the risk. As a landlocked nation poor in raw materials, Hungary suffered a 10 billion Euro economic hit when energy import costs surged during the Russia-Ukraine war. A renewed oil price spike from disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz would deliver another blow. "These are the main challenges, not how to reorganise the Middle East," Orbán said bluntly. "That's very nice, but that belongs to the big guys.’ Orbán warned that destabilisation could send migrants through Turkey and the Balkans toward Hungary's borders. Europe's earlier migration challenges, like the 2015 EU refugee crisis, has already left many nations in deep, deep trouble regarding identity and social cohesion, he noted. His statement comes even as the Nato alliance is divided over the war in Iran, as well as Trump's sabre-rattling over the Greenland. Other leaders - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer - have emphasised that this is not Europe's war, and rejected direct military involvement or Nato's role in the Strait of Hormuz. Orbán emphasised, 'If this war ends fast, it will look like a success. If not, it becomes a disaster.' He acknowledged his own long friendship with Trump, even as he said that the US President represents a break from a tired, boring Western elite lacking new ideas. 'The Iran war is a consequence of the New World Order. Previously, the national interest was not common at all. But now big powers play an important role, and they act in their national interest. And that's what the US is doing,' Orbán explained. He argued that the Islamic Republic of Iran was 'the centre of a violent, anti-Semitic, anti-freedom network, suggesting that destroying its paramilitary capacity could advance peace'. However, he cautioned that failure to achieve this quickly could lead to an even bigger, complicated, longer war. As the conflict in Iran continues, with the US extending pauses on further strikes, Orbán's call for swift resolution and allied support shows that the stakes are high not just for the Middle East but for the whole world. (Source: India Today)
27/03/2026 - 07:49 Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán's officially declared wealth is fairly modest: some savings and a jointly owned villa in Budapest. 'The anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International has labelled Hungary as the EU's most corrupt country alongside Bulgaria in its Corruption Perceptions Index'. It highlighted systemic risks in public procurement and limited competition for the largest contracts which make up five percent of Hungary's GDP. The government rejected the ranking and insists Hungarian procurement rules comply with EU standards. ’The EU has frozen 19 billion euros ($22 billion) in funds’ destined for Hungary ’over persistent concerns about corruption and respect for the rule of law’. While Orbán claims to live modestly, several members of his family have grown spectacularly rich since his return to power in 2010. His father Győző, who is 85, owns several building material companies as well as the historic Hatvanpuszta estate he had rebuilt into a luxurious manor worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Protected by high walls, the sprawling domain close to the premier's home village has two swimming pools and its own wildlife park, as well as extensive outbuildings. Orbán's son-in-law Tiborcz has become one of Hungary's most influential entrepreneurs through public lighting contracts won by his former company Elios. The deals were partly financed by the EU - until the EU anti-fraud office OLAF found serious irregularities. Tiborcz has since switched to real estate and tourism. Orbán's childhood friend Mészáros, a former plumber, has become Hungary's wealthiest man worth $4.8 billion according to Forbes magazine, with an empire of construction, energy, banking and media firms thriving on public contracts. ’Independent lawmaker Hadhazy' said graft has drained the equivalent of 2.84 billion euros ($3.27 billion) from state coffers every year since 2016. Magyar, Orbán's top rival in the upcoming vote, ’has pledged to recover the funds if elected’ and to investigate how the current leaders and their families have grown so rich. The wealth amassed by Orbán's inner circle is fuelling the increasingly palpable frustration of a population grappling with sluggish growth, high inflation and worsening public services. (Source: 'France 24 / AFP')
Germany
29 March 2026 3:39pm BST Chrupalla, the Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) co-leader has called for the withdrawal of all US soldiers from the country. He told a meeting yesterday in Saxony, that it was time to remove allied troops and nuclear weapons from Germany in order to pursue an independent foreign policy. Nearly 40,000 American troops are stationed in the country, which hosts more than a dozen major US military installations, including its European Command headquarters. Mr Chrupalla has previously claimed that Nato serves US interests too much. Yesterday, he also stressed that Germany should not be drawn into foreign wars and Spain was exactly right in deciding not to get involved in the Middle East conflict. The US president’s foreign policy, including his military action against Venezuela and Iran, has increasingly distanced the non-interventionist AfD from Washington. Mr Chrupalla’s comments put him at odds with the Trump administration, particularly over whether America should be able to use German bases for its military activities in the future. Germany’s Ramstein Air Base is being used by US forces as a hub to co-ordinate drone and missile strikes against Iran, attracting criticism from opposition politicians. The ’far-right’s' popularity is proving durable. A new poll released today showed the AfD and Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) were tied for first place among German voters at 26 per cent each. The German chancellor has also been criticised for not having a consistent policy on the Israeli-US war against Iran. The Social Democrats – currently governing as a junior partner – are still languishing at a historic low of 14 per cent, (the centre-Left Greens were at 12 per cent, while the liberal Free Democrats were at 3 per cent). Meanwhile, a recent state poll in Saxony-Anhalt indicated that the 'far-right' was within striking distance of an absolute majority at the state level. (Source: The Telegraph – United Kingdom)
European Parliament
30/03/2026 - 12:32 GMT+2 Orbán still retains ’some’ supporters in the European Parliament and across the EU. Orbán's Fidesz belongs to the Patriots for Europe (PFE or Patriots), the third-largest in the European Parliament, and Orbán’s government enjoys support even beyond his political allies, with over a hundred MEPs hoping for his reappointment as prime minister. The Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), a ’far-right’ group in the Parliament, will officially support Our Homeland Movement, a minor nationalist force that is part of the group and polls around 6%. However, ESN MEPs say they admire Orbán for his hard line on migration, his anti-EU and anti-woke narrative. "I hope that Fidesz remains in government, ideally in a coalition with our partners, as a corrective force. It is no secret that we maintain good relations with Viktor Orbán," Alternative for Germany (AfD) MEP Froelich told. Orbán's opponent, Magyar, leader of the Tisza party is a member of The European People's Party, group which is in full support of his party. Magyar has found backing left-wing lawmakers. Renew Europe group President Hayer is reflecting a widely shared view in the hemicycle, where Hungarian elections are seen as the most important vote of the year. French Socialist MEP Ridel hopes that Orbán loses the elections 'to prevent him from holding hostage the EU'. The Greens will use their social media to call upon ’all Hungarians’ to go to the vote and bring this system down, ’a MEP from the group said’. The Left in the European Parliament looks forward to the fall of Orbán, 'a group representative told. European ’nationalist’ leaders, including France’s Le Pen and Italy’s Salvini, showed their support for the current Prime Minister during an event called The Patriots’ Grand Assembly on 23 March in Budapest. Within the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) some parties are endorsing Orbán, such as Poland’s Law and Justice and Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy. (Source: Euronews - based in Lyon, France)
by ’Zsiros’
Kosovo
Monday 30 March 2026 12:06 BST Kosovo has announced its intention to deploy troops to Gaza, joining a US-backed international security force established in the wake of last year's ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The decision was formally approved by Kosovo's government today. The initiative, known as the "Board of Peace" under US President Trump, aims to maintain stability and support a transitional administration in the territory. We are ready to participate and help the people of Gaza, because we ourselves have been and are beneficiaries of international forces since 1999, Prime Minister Kurti said. Kosovo, a Balkan country of 1.6 million people, is an ally of the US which backed its independence from Serbia in 2008. Trump's Gaza plan, to which Israel and Hamas agreed in October, sees Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza and reconstruction starting as Hamas lays down its weapons. (Source: The Independent - United Kingdom)
Russia
29.03.2026) A detachment of ships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet has arrived at Tanjung Priok port in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta. The detachment includes the corvette Gromky, the submarine Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and the sea tug Andrey Stepanov. Russia and Indonesia plan to carry out joint maneuvering and communications drills in the coming days. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
Ukraine
28.03.2026 Zelenskyy said he secured diesel supplies for at least a year during his recent visit to the Middle East. Total supplies of diesel and gasoline for the entire country, including the army, amount to about 700,000 tonnes per month, he said. (Source: Anadolu Agency - Turkey)
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