European Union

On 11 November 2025, the European Commission published its first annual report on asylum and migration in Europe, which aims to present the progress made in implementing the new pact on migration and asylum that will come into force in 2026. The long-awaited and delayed report raises more questions than it answers regarding the direction of migration management in the EU. The document covered the three main pillars of the EU’s immigration policy (responsibility, solidarity, and return) without making any significant progress in these areas. It welcomed the 35% drop in illegal border crossings, without pointing out that this drop was due to the restrictive policy applied at the gateway to the Balkans. Furthermore, it ignored Hungary’s contribution, which is essential to reducing the number of illegal border crossings on the Balkan route. In this analysis, we look at these elements of the report in detail.

Brussels would impose a carbon tax on the energy used by European households for heating and cooling and on fuel consumption. The measure would have disastrous consequences: the electricity and gas bills of Hungarians would increase 3.9 times from the current level, which would cost an average household an extra 575,000 forints a year. The price of petrol and diesel would rise above 870 forints per litre, which, along with increased transport costs, would exacerbate inflation.

Almost two-thirds of Europeans are concerned that no one has yet been held accountable for the historic terrorist attack against critical EU infrastructure. The protracted investigation allowed for the spread of theories, often politically motivated, which divided EU citizens’ image of the perpetrator. Half of those who expressed an opinion believe that the Russians blew up the pipeline, 21% believe it was the Americans, and 19% believe it was the Ukrainians.

The relevant committee of the European Parliament would ban imports of Russian gas and oil into the EU from 1 January 2026. The measure would have serious consequences for Hungary: it would lead to gasoline prices above 1,000 forints and a general energy crisis. Two-thirds of Hungarian adults therefore do not support the embargo.

After Brussels’ preparations for war reached a new level, the Tisza Party raised the possibility of reinstating conscription. The move has met with significant public resistance: 80% of Hungarians reject the measure.

Every year, millions of migrants (illegal immigrants, students, workers and new holders of family reunification visas) arrive in Europe, increasing the demand for housing and consequently the cost of housing for European citizens. Most analysts identify a number of factors that have led to the current crisis. However, they agree that migration is a significant factor that has made the situation worse. Ultimately, Europe’s lower and middle classes are bearing the cost of this crisis, while rental property owners are benefiting from rising demand for homes and rising rents. European governments no longer invest in housing and have no strategy for accommodating the millions of migrants arriving in waves since 2015. In this context, rising homelessness and mounting integration challenges are becoming increasingly apparent and serious in major cities across Western Europe. In this analysis, we briefly describe what research has found about the relationship between migration and the housing crisis, and then illustrate the links between migration and the housing crisis using the examples of two countries: the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

The majority of EU citizens find it unacceptable that Brussels is steering the EU away from its dependence on Russian natural gas towards a more expensive dependence on American gas. Rejection of the transition is highest in Hungary and Bulgaria, at 73%.

Sweden, once a “model humanitarian state”, has now become a victim of its own migration policy: one-third of the population is no longer ethnically Swedish, the country has 59 no-go zones, and, after Albania, it has the highest number of gang-related deaths in Europe. In 2023, the Swedish government was forced to radically change its policy, reducing the number of asylum seekers from 163,000 to 9,000, while offering USD 34,000 in support to those who voluntarily return home.

Tisza included Brussels’ goal of banning Russian energy in its programme. The measure would impose heavy costs on all Hungarians, and is therefore rejected by two-thirds of adults. However, the ban divides political camps: while 59% of Tisza voters support it, 96% of Fidesz-KDNP voters reject the move.

Tisza’s austerity package would cause serious livelihood problems. The party’s measures would radically reduce household incomes while increasing their costs. The average Hungarian’s net income would fall from HUF 475,000 per month to HUF 346,000, i.e. by HUF 129,000.

It has been leaked that if Tisza were to win the election, they would impose severe austerity measures. The party would raise personal income taxes, abolish tax breaks, and ban Russian energy sources. The majority of Hungarians reject all elements of the Tisza package, a survey by Századvég found.

Péter Magyar announced that he would ban Russian oil and gas from Hungary, as requested by Brussels. The measure would increase Hungarian families’ electricity and gas bills by three and a half times the current level. The increase in utility costs would mean an extra cost of more than half a million forints per year for an average household.

Instead of the unanimity required for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, public opinion in 11 EU Member States opposes the belligerent country’s accelerated accession. The majority of the population in several neighbouring and surrounding countries (Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic) as well as in Germany and France, the two most populous Member States of the European Union, do not support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union as soon as possible, according to the latest results of Századvég’s 2025 Project Europe survey.

The latest results of Századvég’s Project Europe survey show that, while Brussels decision-makers continue their policy of distancing themselves from China in the shadow of the US-China trade war, more than 50% of people in all EU Member States believe that the European Union should strive for peaceful economic cooperation with both the United States and China.

80% of European citizens believe the continent is stagnating or declining. The pessimistic attitude can best be explained by the growing cost-of-living crisis: one in three EU citizens has trouble making ends meet, and almost half would be unable to cover a large, unexpected expense. There are significant differences between Member States: while in Greece and Latvia, the relative majority struggles to make ends meet, in the Netherlands and Hungary, three quarters of the population are able to live on their income.

Between 2016 and 2025, support for nuclear energy in the EU increased from 17% to 42%, while opposition fell from 44% to 17%. The technology is one of the most positively perceived in Hungary: two-thirds of Hungarians believe that nuclear power plants should play a decisive role in the energy mix.

On 2 June 2025, Századvég Foundation hosted the conference “A Changing World Order: Questions and Answers for Europe”, which aimed to explore the challenges facing the European Union and the impact of global geopolitical shifts. The event also presented the results of Századvég's Project Europe survey for 2025, which highlighted the current problems and concerns of European citizens.

22% of Europeans are unable to heat their homes properly, and 26% have been unable to pay their utility bills in the past year due to lack of money. Thanks to the overhead cost reduction, Hungary has the lowest figures for both indicators among EU Member States. But the Brussels plan to ban Russian energy would jeopardise the programme, with serious social consequences.