Every generation in the modern age had its own crisis to solve. Our generation had the privilege to experience more of them. First the prolonged crisis and downfall of socialism, then the collapse of the idea of the global free market in 2008 which was made worse by the sanctions regime after 2022, and lastly, the crisis of Pax Americana and the oligarchic power called liberal democracy.
The Pax Americana was connected to the triumph of liberal politics, institutions and thought, as did Fukuyama and Krauthammer. Today many come to the conclusion that the dissolution of Pax Americana is not only the end of the unipolar world, but also the twilight of the liberal West.
However, even if the West might be called liberal, it is questionable if the decline of liberalism is at once the decline of the West as well: the institutional and intellectual past of the West are quite rich, and was able to adapt extremely well despite the fact that the dominant liberal elite cut itself off from this intellectual tradition and is not willing to react reasonably to real challenges.
Hungary lies at the border of the West so she is sensitive to these changes. Here, the vast majority of society was disenchanted of liberal thoughts and institutions many years ago – we can say that the reckoning with liberal illusions started here on the frontier.
The aim of the conference is to try to understand our current predicament. What is the demographic, intellectual, political and economic situation today? What sources and reserves do we have? Which elements of our culture, institutions and social relations are responsible for the crisis which we have to solve?
And lastly: are we able to overcome these challenges? What should be changed? Although the crisis of the West is not preeminently political, but demographic, economic, military and cultural, we should look for a political answer.
Please save the date for our event. Further details will be shared shortly.
The official language of the conference is English, with simultaneous interpretation into Hungarian provided.
The event will be hosted by Angéla Galán.
Since 2016, the Századvég Foundation has been conducting regular public opinion surveys for the past ten years with the aim of exploring European citizens’ views on the most important issues shaping the future of the European Union. The unique research programme known as the Europe Project has by now become the largest and most comprehensive comparative public opinion survey in Europe: it covers thirty countries, with a representative sample of one thousand respondents per country, involving a total of thirty thousand participants.
As in previous years, the 2026 Europe Project survey seeks to map public attitudes towards the most significant public policy issues affecting our continent. In addition to examining a broad range of current topics, the latest survey places particular emphasis on perceptions of European and national identity, Europeans’ cost-of-living challenges, and the reconfiguration of social and political processes unfolding in the context of a transforming global order. Key catalysts of these developments include the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war, evaluations of the performance of EU leadership, and the changing nature of Europe’s relations with major global powers.
Beyond mapping societal attitudes, the research programme also functions as a measurement tool, offering an opportunity to assess the extent to which the European political elite is able to adequately and faithfully represent the will of European citizens on the issues that matter most to them.
The professional discourse will be enriched by contributions from Századvég’s researchers, as well as several prominent government decision-makers and political experts, including Tamás Deutsch, Member of the European Parliament; Erik Bánki, Member of the Hungarian National Assembly and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs; and Attila Steiner, State Secretary for Energy at the Ministry of Energy.
The conference will be held in Hungarian, with simultaneous English interpretation provided.
Századvég Foundation has been conducting a public opinion survey since 2016 to examine the views of European citizens on the issues that most affect the future of the EU. The aim of the 2025 survey of the unique Project Europe survey series was to map public attitudes on the most important public issues affecting our continent. Among many relevant topics, this year’s research focuses on European identity, the cost of living for European citizens, the changing world order—paying particular attention to the situation in Ukraine and the relationship with China—and an assessment of the EU leadership’s handling of the crisis in recent years.
Századvég Foundation has been conducting a public opinion survey since 2016 to examine the views of European citizens on the issues that most affect the future of the EU. The aim of the 2024 survey of the unique Project Europe survey series was to map public attitudes on the most important public issues affecting our continent. The main topics of research are issues related to the Russia-Ukraine war and the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas. Topics will also include, among others, the sense of prosperity in society, perceptions of the European Union’s activities, energy price developments and energy policy, media, religious affiliation and attitudes to migration.
The results of the research were presented on 7 May 2024 at the Europe in the Shadow of War conference, which will be attended by a number of high-profile political and professional figures.
Freedom of speech and expression of opinion is usually listed among the most important values of Western democracies. This passage is included in most international legal documents, national constitutions and fundamental laws. Politicians and bureaucrats invoke it against perceived or real, past or present oppressive regimes and practices. Freedom of speech is usually protected by the liberal-democratic mainstream from authoritarian regimes or religious oppression. But something seems to have changed in recent decades. The protection of various sensitivities, progressiveness, wokeness, and the liberal-democratic status quo seems to be more of an important issue than the protection of freedom of speech. Universities, progressives, and big tech companies all take a stand against free speech. Freedom of speech can be restricted if free speech is practiced by undesirable speakers – such as populists, nationalists or religious groups. Is freedom of speech really still a Western, democratic fundamental value, or is it just a rhetorical tool on the part of bureaucrats defending their positions of power? What are the challenges facing freedom of speech in the West and in post-socialist countries, and how can it be protected?
At this conference, with the participation of well-known domestic and foreign speakers, we are looking for answers to these questions. Next to others Tamás Deutsch, member of the European Parliament, will give a presentation, while Alvino-Mario Fantini, editor-in-chief of the European Conservative, Mark C. Henrie, president of the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation, and Prof. Dr. Andreas Kinneging, professor of legal philosophy, will also be speaking.
Event hostess: Anett Szabó journalist
Participation is free, but registration is required.
Please confirm your intention to participate until 00.00 February 18, 2024.
We reserve the right to make changes to the programme.
The best way to capture the efforts of the Hungarian right in the last thirteen years is with the struggle for national sovereignty, and the Sovereignty Conference will focus on this. The event will present the latest findings of the Project Europe research, focusing on three key areas: the future of the EU, economy and energy, and foreign policy. The conference will also be an opportunity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Századvég.
In addition to several high-profile politicians and professionals, the conference will also feature presentations by Márton Nagy, Minister of Economic Development, Dr. Tibor Navracsics, Minister of Regional Development, Tamás Deutsch, Member of the European Parliament, and Máté Kocsis, leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group.
Moderator and conference host: Dániel Bohár, reporter
We reserve the right to make changes to the programme.
