"Balázs Orbán's New Political Agenda"

In a recent podcast recording on September 2nd, 2025, Bálasz Orbán, political director of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, discussed the development of the national conservative movement in Europe and Hungary.

Orbán, who is also the chairman of the board at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, shared insights into his intellectual journey that led to his inclusion in Orbán's cabinet. Prior to his current role, Orbán was minister of state in the prime minister's office and director general of the Migration Research Institute in Budapest.

The conversation touched upon the "new politics" restructuring power in Europe, although the specifics of this transformation were not elaborated. The focus was on the national conservative movement in Hungary, led by Orbán and his Fidesz-KDNP alliance, which is rooted in nationalism, sovereignty, and traditional values. However, this movement has been criticised for undermining democratic institutions and the rule of law by concentrating power and restricting independent media and civil society since 2010.

It is not clear from the text whether the right-wing movement in Europe has developed in Hungary's image or if Hungary's political landscape has been influenced by broader European trends. The podcast also mentioned the European Parliament's Patriots for Europe group, a faction seeking to enter mainstream EU politics to shift power balances towards more nationalist and sovereignty-focused policies. The success of this group in becoming mainstream remains uncertain.

Orbán's book recommendation during the podcast was "Regime Change: Towards a Postliberal Future" by Patrick Deneen. This book, which delves into the concept of post-liberalism, may provide further insights into the ideas and ideologies driving the national conservative movement in Europe and Hungary.

The key concepts underpinning Hungary's national conservatism were not explicitly stated in the text, leaving room for further exploration and discussion. The podcast, however, serves as a valuable resource for understanding the development and evolution of the national conservative movement in Europe and Hungary, as well as the intellectual journey of Bálasz Orbán.