The publication titled "What Can Liberals and Democrats Fight With? Finding a Winning Narrative in the High-stakes 2024 European Elections" was issued by the Hungarian Europe Society in May 2024. 

Responsible for publication: István Hegedűs, Chairman of the Hungarian Europe Society
Editors: István Hegedűs, Erik Uszkiewicz
Graphics: Réka Elekes

Manuscript completed on 15 May 2024
All rights reserved. ©Authors. ©Editors.
ISBN 978-615-82312-1-3

Published by Magyarországi Európa Társaság – Hungarian Europe Society
H-1052 Budapest, Gerlóczy utca 11.

The “What Can Liberals and Democrats Fight With? Finding a Winning Narrative in the High-stakes 2024 European Elections” project was supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is not responsible for the content of this publication, or for any use that may be made of it. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) alone. These views do not necessarily reflect those of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ISTVÁN HEGEDŰS: Introduction – 6
1. Things might go wrong (or even worse) – 6
2. Things will remain the same – 7
3. Things become better – 8

CHAPTER 1
LIBERAL VERSUS ANTI-LIBERAL VALUES IN HUNGARY AND THE ORBÁN-GOVERNMENT’S SOVEREIGNTIST POLICY

AMB. DR. ISTVÁN SZENT-IVÁNYI: The Great Illiberal Delusion And Its Failure: The Rise and Fall of the Hungarian Illiberal Foreign Policy – 12

ZOLTÁN RANSCHBURG: Economic Crises as Opportunities to Strengthen Liberal Democracies – 20

ZSUZSANNA BODA − KATA KISS − DÁNIEL RÓNA: Attitudes of Hungarian Society Towards Gender Roles − An International Comparison – 31
1. Introduction – 31
2. Methodology – 31
3. Analysis – 32
3.1. Analysis of gender equality attitudes within Hungary along demographic groups – 32
3.2. International comparison from a gender equality perspective – 44
4. Conclusions – 47

CHAPTER 2 POLARISATION, PROTEST, POPULIST COMMUNICATION

JACQUELIEN VAN STEKELENBURG: Embracing the Democratic Dance: Navigating the Complex Terrain of Modern Democracy – 49
1. A comprehensive understanding of democratic engagement – 51
2. A comprehensive understanding of absorptive capacities of political actors – 53
3. A comprehensive understanding of democratic implications – 54
4. In conclusion – 55 

CHAPTER 3 FROM THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN STAGE TO THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ARENA: THE FUTURE OF A LIBERAL WORLD ORDER

ROLAND FREUDENSTEIN: Are the Bad Guys Winning? The Challenge of Autocracy and The Global Solidarity of Democrats – 59
1. The Global Backslide – 59
2. Autocracy Inc. – 60
3. Democrats of the World, Unite! – 62
4. Conclusion – 64

DR. JACEK KUCHARCZYK: How the Democrats Defeated the Populists in Power in Poland’s 2023 Parliamentary Elections – Lessons for Europe – 65
The response of the democratic opposition – 68
Uneven playing field – 69
Dominant election campaign narratives – 70
Responding to specific populist narratives – 71
The oppositional agenda – 73
The role of civil society – 74
Pro-turnout campaigns: women and young voters – 74
Concluding remarks: what are the lessons for Europe from the Polish 2023 elections? – 77

ZSUZSANNA VÉGH: An Illiberal International on the Horizon? The Radical Right in the 2024 European Parliamentary Elections – 79
Gaining traction in the European Parliament – 79
Recent trends and predictions for the next parliament – 80
Practical implications of the radical right’s rise – 81