South Africa's Not-So G20 Summit
Weekly briefings on the life of The New European Capital of Conservatism.
Budapest This Week
Novelist and music expert Michael Walsh is at the Danube Institute this week to give a lecture on the life of Franz Liszt. Event starts 6 PM, November 18. Register here.
MCC digs into the growth of narco terrorism across the world in the first lecture of the CC Budapest Summit on the Global Drug Epidemic. Event is today, November 17, at 5 PM. More info here.
What’s Based
South Africa's G20. Or G19, Or G18, or... Shrinkflation is so bad these days it is even hitting international summits! South Africa's presidency of the G20 has been totally derailed after Donald Trump announced the US was pulling out of next week's multilateral summit over the continued racially-motivated killing of white Afrikaners in the country. Here’s what you need to know: 1 — Trump confirmed on Truth Social that no US officials will attend next week's meeting over the continued killings of white farmers in the country, blasting the fact South Africa is allowed to host at all is a 'total disgrace'. 2 — The move has sparked a mass exodus of top level leaders. China's Xi Jinping confirmed late last week that he is bailing on the conference, sending Premier Li Qiang instead. Argentina's chainsaw loving president Javier Milei has also announced he'll skip the summit. 3 — Saffa President Cyril Ramaphosa is putting on a brave face, declaring that the US's decision to bail is 'their loss'. 4 — This may be what the kids call 'cope', though, with international media citing unnamed officials involved in the meetings as describing it as effectively 'dormant'. 5 — The meeting collapse stands in stark contrast to the recent Hungary-US summit in Washington DC, during which Trump handed the Fidesz government a number of key concessions on the purchase of Russian oil and gas.
Other News
Paper of the Week
Bridging the North-South Gap: Hungary’s Strategic Engagement in the Three Seas Initiative
The Three Seas Initiative (3SI) is a key multilateral platformed aimed at ramping up dialogue and cooperation between Central and Eastern European states. Hungary has a vested interest in the project, and is in a unique position to leverage its geopolitical strengths to the benefit of both itself and its initiative partners.
“The 3SI promotes regional integration and aims to harness the economic and strategic potential of the area. Historically, 'horizontal' connectivity between East and West has been dominant in the Old Continent. Trade routes, migration, and later pipelines continued to follow such a path. The novum of the 3SI is to bolster North–South connectivity, which, although historically undervalued and underrepresented, is no less critical. To this end, within the 3SI framework, the member states are developing key infrastructure, including highways, rail networks, gas pipelines, and digital communication systems, prioritising the 'vertical' topography.”
Eyes & Ears
City Life
Christmas market season is officially here! Vörösmarty Square Market, one of Europe's largest, officially started last Friday, while the equally stunning St. Stephen’s Basilica Market officially begins today. Why not hop down if you have the time, and feel free to send in your pictures!
The Budapest Ballet Grand Prix is starting from November 17 at the Hungarian Dance University. Tickets are free, but going fast, so if this high-level competition is something that interests you, jump in quick! More info here.
Dates For Your Diary
Battle for the Soul of Europe, Brussels — 3 - 4 DecemberWilfred Martens Centre European Ideas Forum, Brussels — 9 - 10 DecemberCEE Forum 2026, Vienna — 13 -14 January “Bámul, mint borjú az új kapura"— Staring like a calf at a new gate