Hungary: An Economic, Cultural and Political Meeting Place

Hungary's strengthening over the past decade has created the opportunity for it to take a great leap forward and truly join the ranks of developed countries, as well as achieve regional middle power status in the coming decades. To do so, however, it must resist the renewed Cold War logic and the emergent hostilities and strategic pressures to sever economic ties arising from the reconfiguration of the world order, Balazs Orban, the prime minister's political director, told MTI in Paris on Thursday.

Tihany, 2023. augusztus 26. Orbán Balázs, a miniszterelnök politikai igazgatója a Világrendszerváltás - Merre tovább, Magyarország? címû pódiumbeszélgetésen a Tranzit fesztiválon Tihanyban 2023. augusztus 26-án. MTI/Bodnár Boglárka Fotó: Bodnár Boglárka

We need a connectivity-based economic strategy, to be open to new technologies, to make Hungary a meeting place in an economic, cultural and political sense, and from this we need to garner the economic driving force that will make us truly successful in the coming decades,

he stressed, adding that this strategy also includes putting our identity and national interests first. At a round table discussion organized by the Hungarian Embassy in Paris, Balazs Orban presented his book, The Hungarian Way of Strategy, which was just put out in French by La Nouvelle Librairie. 

He said that the second volume [literal translation of Hungarian title: A Hussar slash - Hungarian connectivity strategy - ed] is in the works and expected to be available in time for Christmas. While the first book focused on the principles underlying the successful Hungarian strategy, the second focuses on economic issues and geopolitics. "This book will provide the first complex analysis of the Hungarian interest in the changing world order," said the political director.

Balazs Orban had originally intended the first volume specifically for Hungarian readers, but he realized it might also be interesting for foreigners as well, as requests poured in for the publication of translated versions: first in English, then in Polish, Italian, French, German and in the near future in Spanish.

"I find that people of all cultures relate to what is written in the book. In the conservative right-wing and those in classical liberal circles who care about the nation state and the preservation of identity look to Hungary as an example, even though my book is about how there is no prescribed example and that everyone has to go their own way. Yet, they want to draw from this story," he noted.

"The basic premise of The Hungarian Way of Strategy, is that after more than a thousand years, the time has come when Hungary has finally reclaimed its sovereignty and is responsible for its own decisions," Balazs Orban recalled. 

Despite the contrary opinions being expressed from all directions, now is the time, the place and the responsibility to create our own strategy, which by definition should not be the same as the strategy of other countries. This strategy must be constructed of our own history, our own cultural traditions and our own geopolitical attributes,

he added.

"The Hungarian approach: the fact that we have been standing up for our own interests for 13 years, that we do not submit to dancing to the tune of others, that we are proud of our identity, that we think about how to preserve and strengthen the family, that we believe national sovereignty is important even in the globalized world of the 21st century, and that we are working on a successful country that can be the winner of this century, because we are aware of how badly the previous century transpired from a Hungarian point of view - all this somehow became an example to be followed, which I am happy about," the political director said regarding the reception of his book. "It is important to note that we may be standing alone, but we are not lonely."

Although in discussions with Brussels and the great Western power centers, we perceive that giants are attacking us and we have to defend ourselves against Goliaths, it is clear that there is a very significant stratum in every country, including France, which is a sizable conservative layer that thinks very similarly and envisions the foundations of successful politics in a very similar way to those of the Hungarian right-wing, conservative, Christian Democratic government,

he pointed out.

Commenting on the French thinkers' assessment of the situation, Balazs Orban said that there is also a strong sense of uncertainty, skepticism and frustration in France about Europe's sovereignty and strategic autonomy. He recalled that when looking at the European response to the Russian-Ukrainian war, to the geopolitical competition or to the maintaining of economic relations with China, from the Hungarian perspective, it seems that Europe is not in command and is under the influence of external forces in pursuing a policy that is not good for Europe. This position is very much in line with the French view, which is why  

he hopes that in thinking about the future of Europe, very strong intellectual bases can be found in Europe, and that along with those sovereignist forces that believe in a Europe of nations and consider a Europe that cooperates on a national basis desirable, cooperation will be strengthened in the upcoming European Parliament elections.

Cover photo: Balazs Orban, the political director of the Hungarian prime minister (Photo: MTI/Boglarka Bodnar)