Post-election deadlock in Slovenia: this is how voters did (not) decide

Slovenia’s domestic political uncertainty could even culminate in a new election: following the late-March vote, no political force appears to have secured a governing majority.

Friendship Restored (?): Russian Oil Flows Resume

Recent developments around the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline have highlighted just how vulnerable and politically entangled Central Europe’s energy supply remains.

Bulgaria is turning – but in which direction?

The April 2026 Bulgarian election is not just another domestic political episode, but a turning point whose significance goes beyond the country’s borders.

Romania plunged into political crisis as social democrats turn against Prime Minister Bolojan

Romania’s governing coalition fractured on Sunday evening when the Social Democratic Party (PSD)voted in an internal referendum to withdraw its political support from Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

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.

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.

EU summit: V4 split over Ukraine

The European Union summit of March 19, 2026, clearly highlighted that the Visegrád cooperation can no longer be seen as a unified political bloc when it comes to the war in Ukraine.

What Druzhba broke: competitiveness and Europe's energy dilemma

A Russian drone strike on Ukraine's Druzhba pipeline in January 2026 has triggered a diplomatic crisis between Kyiv, Budapest and Bratislava - but the real damage runs deeper. The dispute has forced into the open a question: whether the EU can remain industrially competitive while paying two to

Presidential veto in Poland – losing the EU defence loan?

A serious domestic political conflict has emerged in Poland after the head of state, Karol Nawrocki, refused to sign a law that would have enabled the country to join the European Union’s joint defence loan programme. The decision is not only a turning point in a specific economic policy

Oil crisis: Are the Poles getting off light?

In Poland there are no signs of fuel panic or dramatic price hikes. The key to this apparent mystery lies in successful diversification.

Hungary and Ukraine: How a broken pipeline became the centrepiece of an election campaign

With Hungary's parliamentary elections set for 12 April 2026, the relationship between Budapest and Kyiv has deteriorated into one of the most explosive bilateral disputes in Europe.

Romanian agriculture: Self-sufficient small farms, growing large holdings, and looming climate risks

An overview of Romania’s agricultural sector - one of the more significant in the EU, both in terms of economic contribution and employment.