Between June 23 and 27, 2025, eight MCC students took part in a five-day study trip to Frankfurt, organized by the German-Hungarian Institute for European Cooperation.
On the first afternoon of the study trip, the group visited Tichys Einblick, a magazine that aims to cover both the alternative and the liberal-conservative spectrum. There, the students had the opportunity to speak with Maximilian Tichy, the son of founder Roland Tichy. Afterwards, they explored downtown Frankfurt on a guided city tour, including visits to the city hall, the cathedral, and a short walk along the banks of the Main River.
The next morning, Professor Susanne Schröter, Director of the Research Center on Global Islam at Goethe University Frankfurt, welcomed the students for a background discussion that covered, among other topics, migration and its impact on German domestic politics. The group then visited the Hessian State Parliament, where they attended a presentation on how the parliament functions and observed a live session. They also spoke with Philipp Breiner, the CDU faction’s education policy advisor. Later that evening, during dinner, the students had the opportunity to gain deeper insight into Hungarian-German historical relations through a conversation with Jürgen Illing, Hungary’s Honorary Consul.
On Wednesday, the group began their day at the headquarters of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.), where foreign affairs journalist Nikolas Busse introduced them to the world of article writing, with a particular focus on sourcing. The students also learned about trends in readership. After a conversation with Hans Kaiser, former Minister for Federal and European Affairs in the state of Thuringia, they met Florian Rentsch, Commissioner for Frankfurt’s Financial Center in the state of Hesse. Rentsch spoke about the German banking system and Frankfurt's role as a financial and banking hub. In addition to his political career, Rentsch is also President of the Sparda Banken Association and a former state minister. The day concluded with a visit to the Money Museum of the German Federal Bank.
On Thursday, the students explored Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, where they had the opportunity to speak with Professor Andreas Rödder about Germany’s future, the potential for cooperation between the CDU and AfD, and energy policy. The day also included sightseeing in Mainz and a visit to the local Gutenberg Museum. During dinner, Gergő Szilágyi, Hungary’s Consul in Düsseldorf, offered insights into the new federal government's plans for reducing bureaucracy, as well as opportunities for German defense industry cooperation. To close the week, on Friday, the group visited the Goethe House and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
