Hungary enters the spring of 2026 in a state of mounting socio-economic uncertainty as parliamentary elections loom on 12 April. For the first time in sixteen years, Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz government face a serious political challenge from the Tisza party led by Péter Magyar.

On 12 March, an article entitled The Iran War: A Test Case for Germany’s Credibility by David Jalilvand and Stefan Meister, working for the German Council on Foreign Relations, was posted on the website of the Internationale Politik Quarterly journal. It discusses Germany’s issues and opportunities in connection with the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran.

On 11 March, an article by senior research fellow Nadia Schadlow, entitled The limits of global governance, was posted on the website of the Hudson Institute. The article deals with the State’s changing role amid the new reality in international relations.

On March 5, 2026, BRUEGEL (Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory), a think tank, published on their web site a policy brief The case for a European Union digital enforcement authority making a case for setting up an additional digital rights agency in the EU.

Europe should support Spain in its fight against the threats from the US, otherwise it will get worse for all.

On 3 March, a report entitled From Economic Giant to Geopolitical Powerhouse? A roadmap towards enhancing the EU’s global clout was posted on the website of the ‘Clingendael’ Netherlands Institute of International Relations.

On 26 February 2026, an article entitled Gone with the West. How the transatlantic split helps China and forces Europe to rethink its Indo-Pacific strategy by Andreas B. Forsby, senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, was posted on the Institute’s website. The article suggests ways for Europe to implement a strategic defense course as the Trump administration jettisons the liberal international order.

On 26 February 2026, an article entitled The Emerging US Influence Threat to British Democracy was published on the website of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

The European Commission wants to be seen as Europe’s strategic brain. This report asks how much steering power it actually has. The answer is uncomfortable. Brussels can frame debates, launch initiatives and warn about risks, but when hard choices appear, control slips back to national capitals. Strategy is talked up, not locked in.

Europe’s far right is watching Washington, and it likes what it sees. This study argues that a second Trump era would not just shake the US system but turbocharge radical right movements across Europe. The shock is not ideological inspiration alone. It is the signal that disruption works and that liberal guardrails can be bent or ignored.