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Hungary’s parliamentary elections: vibrant, but no equal opportunities for contestants
Divisive rhetoric from ruling party also noted by international observers
Hungary’s parliamentary elections: vibrant, but no equal opportunities for contestants, international observers say
The 12 April parliamentary elections saw active citizen engagement, with record voter turnout and genuine choice, but there was no level playing field, with the ruling party benefitting from systemic advantages that blurred the line between state and party, international observers said in a...
Parliamentary Assembly to observe the parliamentary elections in Hungary
A 30-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by Pablo Hispán (Spain, EPP/CD), will travel to Hungary from 10 to 13 April to observe the parliamentary elections, alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Office for Democratic...
Hungary’s elections must not be shaped by fear, abuse of state resources or foreign manipulation, says PACE pre-electoral delegation
A cross-party delegation of observers from PACE, visiting Budapest on 30 and 31 March ahead of the 12 April parliamentary elections, held talks with representatives of the authorities, the election administration, political parties, civil society, the media and the diplomatic community. The...
PACE delegation makes pre-electoral visit to Hungary
A six-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), led by Pablo Hispan (Spain, EPP/CD), will make a pre-electoral visit to Hungary on 30-31 March to assess the election campaign and political climate prior to the parliamentary elections on 12 April. In Budapest...
Hungary: New reports on national minorities and national minority languages
Council of Europe reports cover 14 languages and 13 national minorities
Hungary: crackdowns on peaceful assembly must be reversed
I am concerned about the prosecution of Géza Buzás-Hábel, a young teacher and community activist now facing criminal charges and the possibility of imprisonment for organising Pécs Pride in October...
Council of Europe Congress condemns charges against the Budapest Mayor, urges authorities to drop them
“I strongly condemn the charges brought against Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony for organising Budapest Pride in June last year despite the national ban on Pride events in Hungary. I urge the Hungarian authorities to drop these charges,” said Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and...
Council of Europe anti-torture committee notes ongoing concerns over prisoner ill-treatment in Hungary
CPT has noted some improvements since late 2024
Unleashing human rights: education for, with and by young people
Human-rights education translates the abstract into the everyday with empathy
Nine Hungarian municipalities receive European Label of Governance Excellence
The municipalities of Alsómocsolád, Alsóörs, Bácsalmás, Budapest Capital District XIII., Nagykovácsi, Rigács, Szarvas, Tápiószele and Zalaszentgrót were awarded the European Label of Governance Excellence (ELoGE) at a ceremony held in Budapest on 27 November 2025, with the support of the Centre...
Erosion of academic freedom: Council of Europe calls for stronger safeguards
Protecting academics essential to democratic resilience
A just peace for Ukraine, freedom of assembly and expression, new Charter on youth participation, housing crisis and drugs in European cities: 49th Congress session
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will hold its 49th session from 28 to 30 October 2025 in Strasbourg, France. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, opened for signature on 15 October 1985, the session will be...
PACE seriously concerned by lack of democratic progress in Hungary
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed serious concern at Hungary’s lack of progress on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, pointing to a “worsening situation in certain areas”. Hungary has been under the Assembly’s monitoring procedure since 2022. It is...
Parliamentary Assembly committee seriously concerned by lack of democratic progress in Hungary and ‘worsening situation’ in certain areas
The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has expressed serious concern at Hungary’s lack of progress on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, pointing to a “worsening situation in certain areas”. Hungary has been under the Assembly’s monitoring...
One third of spending on European original films and series is made by global streamers
The European Audiovisual Observatory has just published a new report on investment in original European films and series made by the main media players in Europe. This new study reveals that total spending on European original works (excluding news and sports rights) amounted to EUR 25.1 billion...
Hungary ratifies the Saint-Denis Convention
Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation of Hungary, deposited before Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the instrument of ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other...
Budapest Pride: Local authorities must never be forced to violate human rights, says Congress Rapporteur
“I am proud to be here in Budapest at an international conference in support of human rights, and especially to support the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons which have recently come under legislative attack in Hungary,” stressed Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD), Standing Rapporteur on Human...
Commissioner calls on Hungary to uphold the human rights of LGBTI people and reverse clampdowns on civic space
Statement - “I am here during Budapest Pride week in solidarity with the Hungarian LGBTI communities, in respect for and celebration of their members in all their diversity, but also in...
Budapest Pride: Local authorities must never be forced to violate human rights, says Congress Rapporteur
“I am proud to be here in Budapest at an international conference in support of human rights, and especially to support the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons which have recently come under legislative attack in Hungary,” stressed Gudrun Mosler-Törnström (Austria, SOC/G/PD), Standing Rapporteur on Human...
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