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DEAR READER,
This week, we have Kraków in focus. On Sunday, two events unfolded: Wisła Kraków fans celebrated their team's return to the top football league, while the city voted to remove its liberal mayor, Aleksander Miszalski. You will find out more in our top stories section.
Meanwhile, Kraków also happens to be where Péter Magyar began his first international trip as Hungary's new prime minister last week. The choice was anything but accidental. To find out why, check out our Expert Opinion, where Benjámin Lux unpacks what Magyar's two days in Poland signal for the future of Central European cooperation.
Enjoy reading this week’s “brief”!
— Giorgi Beroshvili, Editor
TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
🇵🇱 Kraków mayor ousted in referendum. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk suffered a major setback as voters in Kraków overwhelmingly backed a right-wing campaign to remove liberal Mayor Aleksander Miszalski, with more than 97% voting for his recall. The opposition Law and Justice party and far-right Confederation collected over 130,000 signatures to trigger the referendum, characterizing Miszalski as an out-of-touch elite technocrat over his green urban policies, including a Low Emissions Zone and rising parking fees. Nearly 30 percent of eligible voters participated, surpassing the validity threshold, in what PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński called “only the beginning” of a larger campaign to challenge liberal urban governments across Poland. Tusk's Civic Coalition controls Warsaw and most regional capitals, making them prime targets for the opposition's strategy to undermine the prime minister's national rule through local defeats.
🇸🇮 Janez Janša becomes Slovenia’s Prime Minister for the fourth time. Slovenia’s parliament has elected veteran right-wing politician Janez Janša as prime minister for a fourth non-consecutive term, after leaving office in 2022. He secured a majority through a coalition deal with smaller right-leaning and centrist parties, backed externally by the populist Resnica. Janša has pledged to cut red tape, reduce funding for political NGOs, and reverse his predecessor’s foreign policy direction, arguing that Slovenia’s democratic transition remains “half-finished”. Media watchdogs have raised concerns over his return, citing past erosion of press freedom during earlier terms.
🇺🇦 / 🇷🇺 World leaders condemn Russia’s use of Oreshnik missile in massive Kyiv attack. Global leaders have condemned Russia for launching a major attack on May 24, using 90 missiles and 600 drones mainly aimed at Kyiv. The overnight assault killed four people and injured nearly 100 across the country while heavily damaging civilian infrastructure. In the attack, Russia deployed the nuclear-capable “Oreshnik” intermediate-range ballistic missile, which struck the city of Bila Tserkva just south of the capital. The deployment was denounced by Western leaders, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron labelling the use of Oreshnik a "reckless escalation", while leaders Kaja Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen accused Moscow of deliberate “state terrorism”.
🇺🇸 / 🇵🇱 Trump reverses course, pledges 5,000 troops to Poland. US President Donald Trump announced he will deploy an “additional” 5,000 American troops to Poland, just days after the Pentagon controversially halted a planned 4,000-troop rotation that sparked alarm among NATO allies. The abrupt reversal came hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio was set to attend a NATO ministerial meeting in Sweden, following weeks of tension over European allies' refusal to support the US in the Iran war. Trump pointedly praised his relationship with Poland's conservative President Karol Nawrocki, whom he endorsed before last year's election, though it remains unclear whether the deployment will be rotational or permanent. In an unexpected twist, Vice President JD Vance reversed course, having previously downplayed the initial postponement as insignificant while encouraging Poland to shoulder more of its defense duties. The change of heart was met with enthusiasm from Polish officials. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz lauded the decision, hailing Poland as a “model and ironclad ally” after engaging in discussions with the Pentagon to address the initial cancellation.
EXPERT OPINION
Friendship under reconstruction
Péter Magyar in Kraków
“Polak-Węgier dwa bratanki” — stated Péter Magyar during the press conference held after meeting with Donald Tusk in Warsaw. The recently elected prime minister of Hungary chose Poland as his first international destination, spending a total of two days in Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk. Having visited three cities with historical locations, and meeting politicians and other important leaders, the trip fulfilled two roles.
On the one hand, the official visit included several symbolic elements. Apart from selecting Poland as his primary international destination — an emblematic decision done by Viktor Orbán multiple times before — Magyar firstly visited Kraków, meeting with cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, to show his gratitude to John Paul II, whose famous quote “nie lękajcie się” (“don’t be afraid”) was frequently cited by the new prime minister during his campaign. The city itself is also symbolical, as dozens of monuments preserve the shared historical past of the two countries, making it a special place for Hungarians. Magyar also met Lech Wałęsa in Gdańsk, a leading figure of Solidarność and the first president of the Third Polish Republic, a key contributor to the demise of communism in the Eastern Bloc. Additionally, the delegation mostly traveled by charter flights or passenger trains, which supports the idea that the new government is generally less extravagant than the previous one.
On the other hand, the visit was highly pragmatic and professional with the aim to restart not only bilateral but also regional cooperation. Besides meeting with Tusk, Magyar was also received by Karol Nawrocki. Although there was no press conference following the discussion with the president, the meeting is notable as Nawrocki, affiliated with PiS, a political ally of Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party, visited the former prime minister in Budapest three weeks prior to the decisive election.
The weight of the trip was further enhanced by the fact that the Hungarian delegation included six ministers — the ministers of foreign affairs, infrastructure, culture, economy and agriculture — who each conducted private talks with their Polish counterparts. The peak of the meetings was, however, the one between the two prime ministers. In the press conference that followed, Tusk highlighted that Tisza’s win is something that gives not only hope but an example for the whole world in overcoming anti-democratic and illiberal political forces through democratic means. He added that Polish-Hungarian relations were always generally good, and although ties were damaged in the last couple of years, it was the case only for political and not personal relations. Furthermore, the Polish prime minister offered to contribute to Hungary’s energy diversification while noting that he will respect Hungary’s decision regarding import choices.
Magyar — alongside expressing his gratitude for the hospitality of the Polish people and mentioning the historical friendship of the two nations — pointed out that a strong Europe begins with a strong Central Europe. As a starter, he stated his will to host a prime minister-level V4 meeting in Budapest this summer. Additionally, he expressed his desire to enlarge the cooperation to include countries as Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, or even Romania and the Western Balkan states in a renewed regional format.
Continuing with bilateral topics, the Hungarian prime minister said that they welcome the Polish experience in overcoming rule of law issues, bringing EU funds home and fighting against corruption. In regards to Zbigniew Ziobro and Marcin Romanowski —convicted politicians of the previous Polish government who were granted asylum in Hungary by Viktor Orbán’s administration — Magyar promised that Hungary will no longer be a place where international criminals can hide. He also stated that they would assist the Polish authorities in securing the return of Ziobro and Romanowski to Poland, as both had left Hungary before they could be expelled.
After the two-day visit to Poland, Magyar continued his international trip to Vienna, meeting with the chancellor and the president of Austria. Similarly, a key topic of discussion, beyond bilateral questions, was the possibilities of an enhanced regional cooperation.
The appearance of the new Hungarian government gave an unexpected boost for Central Europe to rethink its cooperation, which — during times when power politics is returning to international relations — might be more relevant for small and medium-sized countries than ever before. The question is whether other countries, despite their different histories and beliefs, will work together on this shared interest.
— Benjámin Lux, Central Europe analyst, contributor for New Eastern Europe
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OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation — Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdocs and Experienced Researchers — An international research fellowship programme supporting outstanding researchers from all disciplines to conduct independent research in Germany. Funded under the Global Minds Initiative Germany, the fellowship offers individual sponsorship, integration into the Humboldt Foundation’s global academic network, and access to a wide range of professional development opportunities. Open to researchers of all nationalities with above-average academic qualifications, the programme particularly encourages applications from women and underrepresented groups. From 2026 onward, applications will follow a new call-based system with three annual selection rounds and capped submission quotas. Earliest fellowship starts begin in February 2027. Expected success rates are approximately 20–25%. Calls for applications open on 15 March, 15 July, and 15 November 2026.
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