Domino effect: Fico has little reason to welcome Orbán’s defeat
The defeat of Hungary’s ruling party could trigger a domino effect across the region. Slovak media, in this context, point to a weakening of Robert Fico’s position.
Central European Times
Polish press: The Kremlin is looking for Orbán’s successor
Moscow must also rethink its regional position after Fidesz’s defeat. Russia has lost its most stable ally in the region, while still needing partner(s) within the EU.
Oil price shocks: how the energy crisis is dividing Central Europe
As Hormuz closes and Druzhba stays shut, the four Visegrád countries face the same vulnerability from opposite directions.
Markets cheer, agencies warn: Hungary’s new government faces a sobering economic welcome
Tisza’s landslide victory on April 12 sent the forint to a four-year high and Budapest stocks to a record, as investors priced in the end of the Orbán-era risk premium and the prospect of unlocking frozen EU funds.
Hungarian government change - Regional reactions
The Hungarian election results generated significant reverberations across the region. The reactions simultaneously reflected a sense of geopolitical realignment and each country's own domestic political considerations.
Hungary's political earthquake: the end of the Orbán era and the weight of what comes next
On 12 April 2026, Hungarian voters ended sixteen years of Viktor Orbán's rule in a landslide, handing Péter Magyar's Tisza party a two-thirds supermajority on the highest turnout since the fall of communism.
Election sprint in Hungary: 16 years of Fidesz rule under review
Opinion polls are divergent, but results from government-independent research institutes suggest the possible defeat of the Orbán government in Hungary.
Prague and Bratislava patch things up
The Czech-Slovak bilateral reset, sealed at Nóva Horka on March 31, has reopened a diplomatic channel that was shut over Ukraine.
How Europe's defence shield became Romania's political battlefield
The EU's €150 billion Security Action for Europe programme was designed to protect the continent's eastern flank. In Romania - its single largest beneficiary - it has instead ignited coalition warfare.
Fuel price cap introduced in Poland
Poland has also been hit by the fuel price shock, to which the government has responded with a price cap. Most countries in the region are attempting to ease the burden on consumers through direct state intervention in pricing.
After a Deadlock: Where does Slovenia’s government formation stand?
Following the March parliamentary elections, Slovenia has entered a prolonged and uncertain government formation process. The election did not produce a clear winner, leaving the country in a classic coalition bargaining situation where smaller parties have gained increased importance.
The Polish press is once again writing about “Polexit”
The question of leaving the European Union regularly resurfaces in Polish public life whenever political or rule-of-law disputes between Warsaw and Brussels intensify.
Czech public media reform raises questions over independence
The resignation of veteran broadcaster Václav Moravec from Czech Television in March brought to a head a long-simmering confrontation between the country's public media and the new coalition government of Andrej Babiš, which plans to abolish the licence fees that fund them.
Hungarian Ties Spark Domestic Political Debate in Poland
In recent weeks, significant domestic political debate has emerged in Poland over efforts by politicians from the Law and Justice party (PiS) – including Mateusz Morawiecki and Karol Nawrocki – to strengthen ties with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Czech Republic and Slovakia agree €40m deal to reverse Druzhba pipeline flow
The Czech Republic and Slovakia have agreed to invest approximately €40 million to reverse the flow of the Czech section of the Druzhba pipeline, creating an alternative crude oil supply route for Slovakia amid an ongoing energy crisis triggered by damage to the pipeline's Ukrainian stretch.