The Slovak government plans to acquire ČEZ’s 49% stake in Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS), leaving the Slovak state as the company’s sole owner. The proposed transaction has, however, become a source of growing controversy. At the centre of the dispute is the approximately €190 million valuation of ČEZ’s stake by EY, which Economy Minister Denisa Saková has refused to approve without further independent scrutiny – putting her openly at odds with Prime Minister Robert Fic

Current opinion polls favour Tisza and Péter Magyar to win the elections, yet the result is likely to be closer than the numbers suggest, due to Hungary’s electoral architecture.

Pressure toward ending the war is building on both sides, albeit for different reasons. Russia faces mounting economic strain and elite fatigue, while Ukraine is constrained by capacity limits and growing exhaustion. These dynamics increase the likelihood of negotiations – but not of a durable settlement.

Poland will enter 2026 with strong economic momentum and an increasingly complex political environment.

Czechia is likely to enter 2026 without abrupt systemic change, but with a political trajectory that gradually reshapes institutional balances and policy priorities.

While the parliamentary election is scheduled for 2027, the political battles will already intensify in 2026 – and they will collide with the tangible effects of the latest rounds of fiscal consolidation.

Looking ahead to 2026, it is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal and consequential years for Hungary.

Moldova’s gradual shift away from Russian energy dependency has become a defining factor in its political and strategic realignment.

The Czech Republic enters its 2025 parliamentary elections in an atmosphere of expectation and unease. Polls suggest Andrej Babiš is...