Video: The fall of Viktor Orbán, inspiration to Maga Michael Ignatieff joins this bonus episode of the Prospect Podcast to discuss the Hungarian election

🎥: I had a great chat with academic and former Canadian politician Michael Ignatieff about the Hungarian election for @prospectmagazine.co.uk.

He knows Orban’s authoritarianism all too well, having seen the Central European Uni forced out of Budapest…
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/73013/...

The fall of Viktor Orbán, inspiration to Maga | Michael Ignatieff on the Prospect Podcast Authoritarian leader Viktor Orbán suffered a crushing defeat in the Hungarian elections, losing to pro-European reformist Péter Magyar. How did Orbán become a figurehead of the global populist right, and an inspiration to Maga figures such as JD Vance? How did the opposition manage to unseat Orbán’

🎥: Michael Ignatieff speaks to Benjamin Clark about the Hungarian election and the fall of Maga’s darling, Viktor Orbán:

Yeah I got the feeling that no one there had any clue who Scruton was. They just wanted a coffee and a place to work remotely from

>killed the pope
>killed Orban’s political future
>killed the prospects of a peace deal with Iran

My Bluesky feed is basically all people basking in Orban’s demise. Total joy.

Over on X… literally crickets. Zero posts in my feed about Hungary, even tho their algo MUST know I’m interested in this topic. Elon is posting in support of alleged Australian war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith

😂

Absolutely historic W for the Leftist chatterati

just confirming that I did not order anything at the Scruton Cafe. just went inside out of sheer curiosity and took some pics. truly truly absurd place that somehow exists

A number of British academics and ex-academics just lost a potential pay cheque.

The vibes at the Scruton Cafes* in Budapest must be at an all-time low.

*A chain of cafe/bars inspired by British conservative philosopher Roger Scruton. Est by the Hungarian govt-backed Batthyány Lajos Fnd to help the Orbanist right connect with the youth. They have not succeeded

(My pics, 2025)

I do not regret to inform you that we are going to win

Tony Abbott’s position in Orbán’s Hungary is untenable If Tony Abbott is to inherit Liberal Party elder statesman status, he needs to reconsider some of the company he keeps — starting with his affiliation with the Danube Institute.

Orban has just conceded to Magyar.

Among other western conservatives with egg on their faces is former Aus PM Tony Abbott, senior fellow at the Danube Institute (Hungarian govt-funded think tank).

I wrote about his entanglements a while back in @crikey.com.au 👇🏼
www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/20/t...

Especially appreciated the way Ned contrasts Warren’s “people v big business” message with @melindacooper.bsky.social’s “family capitalism” thesis. The latter is more nuanced—it’s not just the corporate lobbyists you gotta worry about, but the fash-sympathetic suburban car dealers too

Excellent blog post by @resnikoff.bsky.social. I used to be a big Elizabeth Warren guy, but have been disappointed by her recent antics.

The next gen of US progressives are better adapting to the moment, even the “populist” ones
publiccomment.blog/p/what-s-goi...

Me 👇🏼

My latest for @crikey.com.au on why the Danish model of tacking right on immigration doesn’t work—even in Denmark.

Yet from Aus to the UK, politicians keep recycling this strategy… 👇🏼

Overall, Hastie comes across as a savvy guy unbeholden to orthodoxy. He’s also a decent communicator.

If he does roll Taylor, Labor will need to seriously sharpen up their act. Their underwhelming term and a half has been permitted by mediocre opponents—and I suspect Hastie isn’t that.

Andrew Hastie reveals unlikely friendship with Malcolm Turnbull “I’m sure he’ll be Liberal leader one day, I’d be amazed if he isn’t,” Malcolm Turnbull told The Australian Financial Review.

Andrew Hastie going left on economics (beyond tariffs) was not on my bingo card.

Is he trying to win over the moderates to challenge Taylor? But many are implacably opposed to tax changes ie Tim Wilson. Perhaps he is hoping to split their faction?
www.afr.com/politics/fed...

I’m back on Lightbulb duties for @prospectmagazine.co.uk.

In today’s newsletter, @petermwilliams.bsky.social has an excellent piece on how the UAE uses influencers to bolster its image.

If you’re not signed up to the newsletter yet, do so here: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/info/69966/s...

The next few years will feature so, so SO many columns and Substacks by people claiming that things were going well and Labour just needed to 'stick with Morgan's plan'.

Happy workers are more productive, right? The case for a four-day week The pandemic has shown us more clearly than ever that we're all working too hard. But reducing work hours has its pros and cons.

I have written many times on increasing annual leave (it’s something of a hobbyhorse)…

but also adding public holidays and limiting employers’ ability to determine when employees take their leave. Hope to see these ideas taken into account too.

E.g. www.crikey.com.au/2022/01/25/t...

Unions demand Albanese hand every worker 25 per cent more holidays An extra week of paid annual leave to compensate for unpaid overtime would be the first increase to the entitlement since the 1970s.

Australian unions are pushing for an extra week of annual leave:
www.smh.com.au/business/wor...

In the UK, I get five weeks of leave already. Seems like a no-brainer

I thought it better than usual. Tho not sure about this one

I’m back in @crikey.com.au today, covering the Manchester byelection. It’s usually folly to draw international lessons from local elections… but I think this one might be an exception to the rule…

The PM response to Gorton & Denton has been to castigate the Greens as the mirror image of Reform — extremists who “want to tear our country apart”

Here’s my take www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/725...

Super excited about this...

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Apply here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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My new colleague Kathryn’s opening line in today’s newsletter 👌