Danube Institute Podcast

We asked the former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore about everything you always wanted to know about the geopolitics of the Pacific, but were afraid to ask.The Danube Lectures is a video podcast of the Danube Institute, a Budapest-based conservative think tank that asks its guests – decision-makers, experts, academics, and politicians – about their unique ideas. Host: Tamás Maráczi, a journalist at the Danube Institute.

We asked Curtis Yarvin, political philosopher, entrepreneur, computerscientist, and CEO of Urban Tiger about the ideological causes and politicalconsequences of Charlie Kirk's assassination.The Danube Lectures is a video podcast of the Danube Institute, a Budapest-based conservative think tank that asks its guests – decision-makers,experts, academics, and politicians – about their unique ideas.Host: Tamás Maráczi, a journalist at the Danube Institute.

In February of 2024, Vladimir Putin sat down with Tucker Carlson for a long-form interview. This was billed as a titanic clash. After years of hearing about the Russian leader, now, Western audiences were to hear from him, shattering a taboo that had held since the outbreak of the Ukraine War. The world waited to hear. And what we heard was… baffling. Boring. With only his opening question, Carlson came up against a sheer wall of history. Suddenly, we were in the 10th century, in Kievan Rus, with Volodymyr the Great. Then Peter the Great. Catherine The Great. Knitting these nodes into a grand arc that proved to him that Ukraine was always part of Russia. On and on, Putin propounded a view of the past that Westerners had never heard. Didn’t particularly care about, and on aggregate did not care for. Many saw the interview as Putin throwing up a smokescreen. They dismissed it as cheap parlour games. But some commentators saw something else. They said that Putin was at least telling a history he had been told. And that if we were to understand why Russia fought, we should investigate the long view they held. In short, as much as an actual war, Putin was also on one side of a Culture War. Perhaps most enlightened version of this thesis was that we had moved from the gentle world of history, into the hard turf of historiography. History is to do with facts. Historiography, to do with how cultures interpret those facts. It’s often said that he who controls the past, controls the future. But it is not so often said that we don’t always have control over the past. It emerges, from a collision of scholarship, national identities, and the vagaries of time itself.  Often, we lose sight of that dynamic. But historiography is all around us. Would we just see it. For Danube Knowledge, Gavin Haynes is joined by two men who possess just such X-Ray vision. Dr Eric Hendriks. And Stefano Arroque. Both are fellows at the Danube Institute. Eric is a Dutch sociologist. Stefano is a Brazilian researcher, with a specialism in EU and European politics. They’ve recently published a paper for the DI, along with our academic Daniel Farkas, which addressed the question of clashing narratives. But in the context of the intra-European culture wars. The war between liberal anti-nationalist interpretation of history and the anti-totalitarian nationalist one. The paper is called:  Why Europe Needs Historiographic ToleranceThey argue that if we want to make the European Union work, we have to acknowledge that there are different legitimate interpretations of the darkest chapters of 20th century history. And that work started in one of the least historically dramatic of all Europe’s coves, but one that seems to hold the key to explaining Europe’s own culture war … Luxembourg. 

We spoke with John Whittingdale, former Political Secretary to PM Margaret Thatcher, about the Iron Lady's life and legacy at the Danube Institute's Thatcher conference in Budapest.The Danube Lectures is a video podcast of the Danube Institute, a Budapest-based conservative think tank that asks its guests – decision-makers, experts, academics, and politicians – about their unique ideas.Host: Tamás Maráczi, a journalist at the Danube Institute.

Sweden. Europe’s eternal model of the right path. And increasingly, also its vision of the wrong road. Since the year 2000, Sweden has run the mass migration experiment at hyper-speed. And equally, it is now running a counter-revolution at similar pace. Anyone familiar with the country will be aware of the Law of Jonte and the concept of the Thought Corridor. Swedes are herd-like: it is very hard to break with Orthodoxy. But when the herd moves, the herd moves. In 2022, populism came to Sweden. The country fractured its historical cordon sanitaire, to elect a coalition of the centre-right Moderate Party, with support from the hard right Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmy Akkeson. Akkeson has been a fixture in Swedish politics for over 15 years. His career is a classic case of First they laugh at you, then they denounce you, then you win. From national joke, into the Riskdag. Akkeson has modified his positions somewhat, presented a more clean-cut image. But in the main, it is public opinion that has done the real pivot. The Sweden Democrats are now three years deep into a coalition that has not faltered. And, as a result of the historic Tidö Agreement, has made great strides in regulating immigration. Yet despite delivering what they promised on that score, the public appetite does not appear to be sated. Indeed, Swedes today are drifting further right than they ever have on questions of culture. With an election due in 2026, it now appears that Akkeson could not only bolster the traditional parties - he could lead a government. What happens next? Could Sweden now point the way to a sophisticated dismantlement of the mass migration project? And could Akkeson prove central to that? To explain, Gavin Haynes is joined by visiting fellow at the Danube Institute, Markus Johansson-Martis.

Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister of Sweden and a seasoned diplomat, discusses the complexities of EU integration and its future. He analyzes Sweden's EU accession and the multifaceted benefits it brought. Bildt argues for deeper integration, especially in defense and security, while addressing Hungary's contrasting rhetoric on sovereignty amidst reliance on EU funds. He also tackles migration challenges in Europe, highlighting Sweden's successes and political backlash against immigration. Finally, he shares insights on Europe's need to engage globally and the implications of Turkey's stalled EU bid.

Peter Sztitas, a Senior Fellow at the Danube Institute, and Hugo Martin, a Visiting Fellow specializing in Czech politics, dive into the recent political upheaval in Central Europe. They analyze Andrej Babiš's comeback and his potential coalition challenges. Comparisons to Trump unveil intriguing insights into populism's resurgence amid failed technocracy. The duo unpacks seat dynamics and the strategic 'Donut' voter appeal while discussing Babiš's views on Ukraine and V4 relations, suggesting a solidified nationalist front in Brussels.

We spoke with Robert Wilkie, Chairman of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute and former United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs about Trump's three unresolved geopolitical games.The Danube Lectures is a video podcast of the Danube Institute, a Budapest-based conservative think tank that asks its guests – decision-makers, experts, academics, and politicians – about their unique ideas. Host: Tamás Maráczi, a journalist at the Danube Institute.

What is Israel planning to do after the Western recognition of Palestine? Will there be a point when Washington doesn’t back Israel further? Why has the Hungarian government become a staunch pro-Israeli government?We spoke with the former Political Director of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the fragile situation of the Jewish state.The Danube Lectures is a video podcast of the Danube Institute, a Budapest-based conservative think tank that asks its guests – decision-makers, experts, academics, and politicians – about their unique ideas. Host: Tamás Maráczi, a journalist at the Danube Institute.

Curtis Yarvin, a tech entrepreneur and blogger, joins the conversation, known for his controversial views on democracy and power. He discusses the implications of vengeance in politics following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, delving into historical roots of political violence. Yarvin critiques how modern media shapes narratives and suppresses debate, while outlining radical strategies to reform institutions. He provocatively connects current events to past movements, questioning whether meaningful change can occur without escalation.