Political Capital

Policy Research & Consulting Institute focusing on populism, extremism and disinformation. Dedicated to promoting democratic values and transatlantic relations.

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

How do we handle weaponized supply chains, EV and solar overcapacity, and a China-Russia partnership, while the US under Trump strengthens Beijing’s hand?

Join our panel on 2 Nov, 17:30 at CEU Budapest. Details: https://t.co/l8om0tvAUv

@AsiaSociety
@ecfr
@CEUDemInst

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Our Head of Programme, @bulcsuhunyadi, took part in #Disinfo2026, Europe’s largest disinfo conference. He discussed Viktor Orbán's informational autocracy and its ineffectiveness in the 2026 elections. We thank @EUDisinfoLab for the invitation and stand in solidarity with them.

[HDMO - Hungarian hub against disinformation @HdmoHub]

🗣️ Political Capital’s Head of Programme, Bulcsú Hunyadi, recently participated in #Disinfo2026, Europe’s biggest conference on #disinformation. Organised by @DisinfoEU, an independent European civil society organisation, the conference attracted 650 participants from civil society, the media, academia, tech companies, and government institutions. 🌐

🔎 The conference discussed the latest trends facing the counter-disinformation community. During a panel on securitised information and shrinking civic space, Bulcsú discussed the establishment of informational autocracy and state-sponsored disinformation in Hungary under Viktor Orbán's premiership, why this system proved ineffective in the 2026 elections and the lessons it may offer counter-disinformation actors in other countries.

🤝 We are deeply grateful to @DisinfoEU for the organisation of the conference and for the invitation. By doing so, we stand in solidarity with them in the face of pressure from foreign actors, regardless of its origin.

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

@peterkreko, our director, commented for @ForeignPolicy on how to dismantle an informational autocracy and its propaganda machine.

[Peter Kreko @peterkreko]

How do you dismantle a propaganda machine?
A great piece by @lilirutai Rutai in @ForeignPolicy on the legacy of Orbán’s “public media”, —and the challenge of rebuilding public service journalism. I was glad to contribute.

“Orban’s Hungary was an informational autocracy, in which the main tools of the system were hatred, disinformation, and conspiracy theories,” said Peter Kreko, director of Budapest-based research institute Political Capital (HU) . The public media was part of this.”

Kreko likened M1 under Orban to Breitbart, a far-right U.S. news outlet that fiercely supports U.S.President Donald Trump. “They didn’t even attempt to feign objectivity,” he said.

“The information autocracy has caused a kind of destruction that we don’t see anywhere else in the EU,” Kreko said. “The [fearmongering] campaigns had an immediate, measurable, and evaluable impact on public opinion.”

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

The 6th @Budapest_Forum starts in just 2 days! Focal themes: democratic renewal after #illiberalism, global security environment and Europe’s challenging future. Opening remarks by our @peterkreko, @ceu's Carsten Q. Schneider and #Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony. @CEUDemInst

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

How can democracies remain resilient in a fractured world? Listen to Minister Tarr's keynote speech, followed by a panel discussion with leading experts at the @Budapest_Forum. Program and registration: https://t.co/aAZzGQammF
@CEUDemInst @JanAlbrecht @adee_lajda @boell_prague

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

What can we learn from the 1956 Revolution about today's crises?
Join the discussion at the @Budapest_Forum on 1 October at @ceu Budapest. (🇬🇧 interpretation will be provided.)
Program & registration: https://t.co/rzCH5a4K5U
@CEUDemInst @Csunderlik1985 @istvanhege @javorbenedek

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Is there a common Central European response to today's crises? Find out at the @Budapest_Forum on 1 October at @ceu Budapest with the help of high-level experts! Programme and registration: https://t.co/u8tQcEKu5X
@CEUDemInst @DominHajdu @botidoki @ZSzelenyi @Stefaniak__

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Did you know that #Taiwan stood with the Hungarian Revolution in 1956? An exhibition at the @ceu Budapest building, on the margins of the @Budapest_Forum, sheds light on the how and why. The exhibition opens at 16:00 on Oct. 1 and closes on Dec. 15.
@TaiwaninHungary

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

What comes after #illiberalism? How can democratic institutions be rebuilt, and how can #Hungary strengthen its position in Europe? Join the panel discussion at the @Budapest_Forum on 1 October.
Program and registration: https://t.co/aAZzGQammF
@CEUDemInst #Budapest

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

One of the three key themes of this year's @Budapest_Forum is the changing global security environment. One of the key panels will focus on the dynamic between the US, the EU, and Taiwan. Register to secure your spot!
https://t.co/aAZzGQaUcd
@CEUDemInst Budapest @TaiwaninHungary

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Recent state elections have shaken Germany, but the dance has only begun. What will the next major elections mean for the EU? Join us for the panel discussion on this topic at our @Budapest_Forum.
Program and registration: https://t.co/aAZzGQammF
@CEUDemInst @FNFreiheit Budapest

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

“Orban’s Hungary was an informational autocracy, in which the main tools of the system were hatred, disinformation, and conspiracy theories (…) The public media was part of this”
Lili Rutai of @ForeignPolicy asked our director, @peterkreko.
https://t.co/rJqKvcQ19P

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Our annual conference on sustainable democracies is back for its 6th year! Focal themes: democratic renewal after illiberalism, changing global security environments, and Europe’s political future.
See some speakers in the pics!
Program and registration: https://t.co/aAZzGQammF

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Our new paper, written by our analyst @Richard_Demeny and supported by @fnfeurope, examines key factors in the future of political disinformation in Europe: actors, narratives, platforms and technology challenges, policy responses.
Read the full study: https://t.co/ZepXP7pOJU

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Confronting the past 16 years is both a task and a challenge for Hungarian society. In this article, our director, @peterkreko, explains how the Orbán regime operated and which societal behaviours supported it.
@BalkanInsight @BIRN_Network
https://t.co/g3j5OEsd3D

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Together with @Alliance4Europe, we looked into how social media platforms handled political advertising during Hungary's 2026 election campaign. Read the details in our report 'The enforcement gap'. @HdmoHub

[HDMO - Hungarian hub against disinformation @HdmoHub]

📢 Our new report is out: The Enforcement Gap

A joint report by @Alliance4Europe, @Pol_Cap and HDMO examined how Meta, Google and TikTok handled political advertising and coordinated inauthentic behaviour during Hungary’s 2026 election.

🔁 Meta repeatedly removed individual ads, but identical content kept coming back
❌ Google removed 0 of 15 reported political ads
🔍 TikTok found no violation in a coordinated network of 105 accounts

The key problem: platforms often enforce rules content by content, while manipulation campaigns operate as networks.

👉🏼 Read the full investigation at: https://t.co/pipdiv5oD7

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

What has Hungary's new government achieved in its first 100 days, and how long might PM Péter Magyar's honeymoon period last? Listen to @VisegradInsight's recent podcast with our director, @peterkreko, for answers.

[Visegrad Insight @VisegradInsight]

Is Hungary entering a new democratic era – or has it merely exchanged Orbán’s ‘spin dictatorship’ for Magyar’s ‘spin democracy’?

In the new episode of the @VisegradInsight Podcast, @peterkreko, director of @Pol_Cap and professor of political psychology in Budapest, returns to assess Péter Magyar’s first 100 days in government with @wprzybylski, editor-in-chief of @VisegradInsight.

Spotify – https://t.co/ufCO91VP26
YouTube – https://t.co/C9qLuSQ1wV
Apple Podcasts – https://t.co/MEM1I6H76s
Substack – https://t.co/GVs6koCMr2

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

Our Head of Programs, @bulcsuhunyadi, attended a series of meetings and roundtables in Washington, DC, discussing Fidesz's defeat, TISZA's victory, failed disinformation, Russian interference and lessons from democratic transition, while also learning about US domestic politics.

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

With input from our Head of Programs, @bulcsuhunyadi, @BalkanInsight examined the factors that contributed to Viktor Orbán's electoral defeat in Hungary, focusing on why government disinformation was ineffective this time.

[Balkan Insight @BalkanInsight]

Many factors contributed to the Hungarian government’s election defeat, including social media campaigns which misfired as public trust eroded. Yet Russian-style disinformation remains a persistent threat.

Read more: https://t.co/me3Rhn42IQ

[Political Capital @Pol_Cap]

A recent conversation about the meaning, role and potential of Visegrad Four cooperation, as well as the proposed V4+ format, between @VisegradInsight's @wprzybylski and our director, @peterkreko.

[Visegrad Insight @VisegradInsight]

Wojciech Przybylski @wprzybylski spoke with @peterkreko from the Political Capital on why the new Hungarian government sees V4+ as a foreign policy priority and how Hungary's relations with its neighbours may develop in the near future: https://t.co/MyepCp4zul