Ahval

Hungary has been a consistent partner for Turkey in its dealings with the European Union (EU) and now it has assumed the presidency of the Council of Europe (CoE). On May 21, Hungary began its term as the rotating president of the continent-wide bloc. Hungary’s assumption of the seat has drawn early caution from activists and even fellow EU member states who are mindful of its growing illiberalism at home. Its prime minister, Viktor Orban, is the poster-child for this authoritarian leaning brand of politics that relies on equal amounts of right-wing populism and a tightening of the political space for any opposition to his rule. For Turkey, Hungary’s presidency represents the rise of an ideological kinsman within two blocs that have progressively soured on it over the years. Dr. Tamas Szigetvari, senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economics in Budapest, said that the power of the CoE may be more limited than the EU, but it still promises some benefits for Turkey during a podcast.