Hungary’s New “Realpolitik”: Strategic Question Marks
Hungary’s New “Realpolitik”: Strategic Question Marks

Summary/Abstract: Hungary’s accession to the EU in 2004 brought a decade and a half period in Hungarian foreign policy to an end: in essence, the regime transition was concluded in the area of foreign policy realignment as well. In the ensuing period, however, the situation basically remains open with regard to the main elements that shape it. The events and tendencies of 2008, both internationally and in Hungary’s environment, in a certain sense compel a rethinking of possibilities in the area of foreign policy. Case by case damage control in foreign relations, the occasional need for crisis containment and the various loosely interconnected forms of adaptation to changing circumstances are all parts of foreign policy everywhere, and especially in the case of a country with Hungary’s international weight. The complexity of the international system is growing, its crises radiate further into the global environment, and the scope of action of the networks of alliances of which Hungary is part is expanding to new regions. The scope of foreign policy action is not decreasing, therefore, but in fact growing. At the same time, as we shall seek to show here, this does not render proactive position-building secondary; indeed, policy can be regarded as drifting if it is not accompanied by a multiphase plan for position-building. It appears, however, that when compared to the present challenges and problems that need to be resolved, the presence of visible multiphase and proactive responses is negligible, and hence Hungarian foreign policy – of course, within the boundaries designated by the EU and NATO – is increasingly adrift. This study seeks to identify the theoretical areas where the planned active aspects of Hungarian foreign policy may be enhanced, and where – hopefully – this “drifting” will be replaced by comprehensive adaptation to new conditions.

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