The Vienna edition of the PRINCEPS Executive Club focused on the political transformation underway in Central and Eastern Europe, examining the region’s role both as a battleground of global influence and as a laboratory for new political models. Organised by the PRINCEPS Risk Intelligence Institute in cooperation with Central European University (CEU), the event brought together experts, practitioners, and guests to discuss democratic backsliding, ideological polarisation, and shifting international alignments in the region.

Keynote Address

The keynote was delivered by Professor Zsolt Enyedi, who framed Central Europe not merely as a battleground of great-power competition, but as an active trendsetter in contemporary political developments. He placed the region within broader historical and global patterns, contrasting today’s uncertainty with earlier periods defined by economic growth, social expansion, and the global consolidation of liberal democracy after the Second World War.

Professor Enyedi argued that the last decade has been marked by democratic backsliding, the resurgence of strongman politics, and the erosion of international institutions. He described how the earlier convergence toward liberal democratic norms has given way to the rise of illiberalism, a coherent ideological project that challenges constitutional limits, institutional independence, state neutrality, and the concept of an open society. He further outlined distinct national variants of illiberalism across the Visegrad region, from religion-oriented politics in Poland to xenophobic and anti-environmental tendencies elsewhere.

The keynote concluded with an examination of transnational illiberal networks and ideological interaction between political actors in the United States and Russia, highlighting figures such as Viktor Orbán as central nodes in this ecosystem. Professor Enyedi stressed that upcoming elections– particularly in Hungary – will be decisive in determining whether the region continues to serve as a testing ground for alternatives to liberal democracy or begins returning toward more conventional political competition.

The full keynote speech is published below.

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion brought together Ivan Mikloš, economist and former Finance Minister of Slovakia, and Professor Ferenc Hörcher of Ludovika University of Public Service. Moderated by Filip J. Scherf, the conversation focused on the political implications of illiberal governance models for Central Europe’s future.

The discussion examined tensions between national sovereignty and European integration, particularly in the context of diverging leadership styles and ideological approaches among regional leaders such as Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico. Panelists debated whether current political trajectories represent deep ideological realignment or pragmatic adaptation to domestic pressures and electoral incentives.

Attention was also given to how political culture, identity-based conflict, and institutional weakening affect governance and long-term stability across the region. The conversation highlighted how ideological polarisation increasingly shapes policy, public discourse, and cross-border political alignment, with implications for both domestic politics and relations within the European Union.