The Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union ended recently while the Polish one has just begun. In a moment of grave concern over the outcome of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Donald Trump’s return to the White House, and sharpening conflict between liberal and illiberal forces within the EU, rarely have so many expectations and worries been attached to rotating presidencies as to these two. In this special panel, we take the Hungarian and Polish presidencies as lenses to reflect on the contemporary EU and its major challenges.
How unusual was the Hungarian Presidency and how has the EU dealt with the Hungarian government’s agenda? What are the major ambitions of the current Polish Presidency and how would you assess their chances of success? What strategies can the EU follow now that Donald Trump is about to start his second term, and how prepared is the Union for the challenges that lie ahead? How much stronger have illiberal forces become within the EU and how do you view their prospects in the coming years? What does all the above imply regarding the Russo-Ukrainian war? These were the main questions this special panel explored with three leading experts.
Speakers:
- László Bruszt – Director, CEU Democracy Institute; Professor of Sociology, Central European University
- Dániel Hegedűs – Regional Director, Transatlantic Trusts Central Europe, German Marshall Fund
- Monika Sus – Professor, Institute for Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences; Adjunct and Fellow, Centre for International Security, Hertie School; Visiting Fellow, Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies, European University Institute; Expert, Team Europe Direct Poland
Moderator:
- Ece Özbey – Global Forum Fellow, CEU Democracy Institute; Global Editor, Review of Democracy
