Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch political commentater, bringing hot issues to the discusion of Europe's future

Budapest, March 21, 2026 — CPAC Hungary 2026 brought together conservative political figures from Hungary and abroad in a highly stylized and politically charged event.[1] The conference, held just weeks before Hungary’s national elections, was marked by rally-like enthusiasm, with slogans such as “to victory” and “win baby win” setting a tone that combined traditional political discourse with elements of pop culture. The overall atmosphere underscored the high stakes for the ruling Fidesz party in the closely contested election race.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a brief and focused speech, criticizing the European Union for its excessive interference in national sovereignty. Orbán framed the upcoming elections as a decisive battle for Hungary’s independence, positioning Fidesz as the defender of democracy against external pressure from Brussels.

 At the same time, however, the event also revealed internal contradictions within the conservative movement itself. A striking example was the participation of Dave Rubin — an openly gay man with a husband — on a platform that systematically defends the traditional family as a core value. This is not merely a curious detail but rather a symptom of strategic flexibility: ideological consistency gives way to communication effectiveness and international visibility. In this sense, the conservatism presented at CPAC appears less like a strictly defined value system and more like a political tool adapted to different audiences.

A video address by Benjamin Netanyahu further highlighted the geopolitical dimensions of the event.[2] His support did not simply legitimize the Hungarian government but also brought into focus the close ties between Hungary’s conservative elite and the State of Israel. This shows that behind the rhetoric of national sovereignty lies an active building of strategic alliances when it is politically advantageous.

Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek spoke on one of the most hotly debated issues in Western and, to some extent, Eastern Europe. She warned about demographic and cultural challenges related to migration in Europe and called for stricter immigration controls, including the repatriation of migrants outside the EU. Her words reflected a broader theme of the conference: the defense of national identity and opposition to the EU’s migration policy.

Polish legal figure Zbigniew Pszibilowski, representing the conservative organization Ordo Iuris, spoke about ideological bias within the EU. He pointed out that the principle of the “rule of law” is selectively applied by the European Commission, which punishes countries with conservative governments while ignoring similar cases in politically allied states. Pszibilowski also introduced the concept of “militant democracy,” suggesting that left-wing forces in Europe are becoming increasingly intolerant of political opposition.

The Brazilian context was also addressed. On stage with Pszibilowski was a representative of Brazil’s conservative political dynasty — Eduardo Bolsonaro. He mentioned his brother, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is running for president of Brazil. Bolsonaro emphasized that conservative movements in Hungary, Poland, and Brazil face similar challenges and attacks from their political opponents, underscoring a sense of transnational struggle for national sovereignty, democratic norms, and conservative values.

The event also included references to political processes outside Europe, such as those in Brazil, where conservative leaders seek to overcome political opposition and legal obstacles ahead of upcoming elections.

Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minster, giving a speech at the event

Conclusion

CPAC Hungary 2026 served both as a rally and as a platform for international discourse on conservative ideas. The speeches emphasized national sovereignty, criticism of supranational governance, and resistance to what is perceived as the ideological dominance of liberal institutions. At the same time, the conference highlighted internal tensions within contemporary conservatism, particularly on social and cultural issues such as family values, migration, and identity.

The participation of figures such as Dave Rubin and Eduardo Bolsonaro illustrates the diversity of viewpoints within the broader conservative movement, while also drawing attention to contradictions and ideological debates. [3] Overall, the conference reflected the high stakes of the upcoming elections in Hungary and showed how domestic political processes are increasingly embedded in wider global narratives about democracy, sovereignty, and cultural identity.

Footnotes:

1. CPAC – Conservative Political Action Conference, from English. The first Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was held in 1974 and was organized by the American Conservative Union (ACU) in cooperation with Young Americans for Freedom. At that time, the keynote speaker was California Governor Ronald Reagan. Since then, CPAC has become an important annual gathering of conservative activists and leaders, expanding its international reach through conferences in countries such as Japan, Israel, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Hungary, and, as of last year, Poland. Source: Ordo Iuris: https://ordoiuris.pl/en/press-newsdesk/warning-against-the-global-lefts-militant-democracy-at-cpac-hungary-2026/.

2. Our impression was that the video had been produced using artificial intelligence (AI). Ed. note.

3. The full list of speakers can be seen on the event's website: https://www.cpachungary.com/en/agenda.

 Freedom for All was rpepresented at the event by its chair Dr. Viktor Kostov, who authored this report