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MCC-Brussels also took part in organizing the lectures at Tusványos. The invited experts shared their thoughts on the current challenges facing the EU, the situation of right-wing parties, and their role in the European Parliament on July 24th in MCC-organized King Mathias Courtyard.
Dr. David Engels, Head of Researche at MCC's Brussels center and a lecturer at ICES; Dr. Ralph Schoellhammer, Visiting Fellow at MCC and Assistant Professor at Webster University in Vienna; and Dr. Réka Máthé, a Senior Researcher at MCC’s Center for European Studies, participated in the discussion. The discussion was moderated by Krisztián László, an International Coordinator at MCC's International Directorate.
During the event, the experts analyzed the growth of right-wing organizations in recent years. It was noted that most of the successful parties were formed after the 2008 financial crisis and strengthened amid the recent crises. Ralph Schoellhammer pointed out that Europe's dominant political parties lean to the left, as do global culture and media, and politicians must contend with this, along with general prejudices against the right wing. He emphasized that most people desire normalcy and security, therefore they vote for those who offer the most reasonable solutions. However, care must be taken, as the concept of normalcy can be distorted by the media, making even centrist parties appear extreme as a result of their narrative.
According to Réka Máthé, politics cannot function without agreements and dialogue, and isolating a party due to its ideology only leads to further tensions within its voter base. David Engels agreed that parties must be convincing and dynamic, and can only succeed with a thoroughly developed vision for the future. He added that in the European Parliament, it is not enough to be merely opposed to something; they must present constructive arguments, articulate concrete plans, and show what kind of Europe they envision for the future.
