CPAC Hungary 2025: AfD's appearance

After other European far-right parties held their major conferences last winter (see our newsletters #3 and #4), the international far right gathered in Budapest at the end of May for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Hungary, for the fourth year in a row. The Hungarian hosts from the Center for Fundamental Rights (Alapjogokért Központ) gathered nearly 100 speakers and several thousand participants over two days, confidently proclaiming it the “broadest conservative alliance in history.”

The parade of right-wing celebrities and the sheer number of countries involved were designed to impress. In the TV show format that has become standard at CPAC—a large stage with an elaborate set, huge screens, and continuous moderation—solo performances, discussions, and talk shows (Ben Shapiro, Michael Knowles) were held over two days. In a conversation with Hungarian State Secretary for International Communication Zoltán Kovács, US influencer and TV presenter Jack Posobiec professed his vision that “Jesus Christ is our king, he has to come back.” Addressing the audience, Posobiec demanded, “If you have a program for civil society in your country, you must stop it immediately.” Politics at CPAC is staged as a carefully scripted propaganda show and social media event, so one cannot expect too many discussions or even controversial content.

The AfD's widespread isolation on the international stage was ended by Elon Musk during the last federal election campaign, and the party leadership had already been invited to Trump's inauguration in January 2025. In February, Viktor Orbán welcomed the AfD's leading candidate, Alice Weidel, to Budapest.

In his opening speech at CPAC, Orbán addressed Alice Weidel directly, describing her visit as “particularly important.” He said it was well known that the main opponent in Brussels was a German: Manfred Weber, the CSU chairman of the Christian Democratic EPP group, who was “Hungarophobic, petty, and vindictive.” Orbán holds Weber personally responsible for the fact that his Fidesz party had to leave the EPP group in Brussels in 2021 and that there is still such strong opposition to his political course today. Orbán made it very clear that the focus of the global right wing is now on gaining power: "Today and in the coming years, European politics will be about which plan prevails. This battle must first be won by everyone at home and then together in Brussels. (...) We must work together – slowly, step by step, confidently. When the decisive battle comes, we must be united. But now, dear friends, we must all win at home (...). Then we will have succeeded."

AfD – finally right in the thick of things

The following day, Weidel addressed the CPAC audience and had two main messages for the international right wing: the AfD is the next ruling party in Germany, and the establishment, Merz, and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution are authoritatively suppressing the legitimate opposition. “Influential politicians have decided to ban the strongest opposition party, to ban us, the AfD. In doing so, they would eliminate the political force that will soon form the government in several eastern German regions,” the co-chair said in her speech, delivered in English. Weidel emotionally thanked host Orbán, a “true beacon of freedom,” and also US Vice President J.D. Vance, whose speech at the Munich Security Conference had also given the AfD a boost in international perception.

The audience in Budapest responded to Weidel's speech with a standing ovation. In Germany, the fact that she was standing on stage with the far-right celebrity was received with enthusiasm. “The AfD achieves breakthrough on the European stage,” commented Junge Freiheit, which, like the media portal NIUS (Pauline Voss), was present at CPAC. COMPACT magazine went so far as to describe Weidel as a rock star.

French and Italian guests did not play a major role at this CPAC. With Fabrice Leggeri from the Rassemblement National and Antonio Giordano from the Fratelli d'Italia, who is also secretary-general of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament, representatives of Europe's parties that are decidedly critical of the AfD were present. However, the conflict with the Germans apparently did not play a role. The political differences within the far right (the Russia-Ukraine war, relations with the US and Russia, anti-Semitism, historical politics) are unlikely to have been reduced by this one appearance: at the commemoration of the end of World War II in the European Parliament on May 8, the AfD faction demonstratively remained seated.

Participants from Germany were: Irmhild Bossdorf, Rene Aust, Petr Bystron, Alexander Jungbluth, Damian Lohr, Rainer Rothfuss, Beatrix von Storch, Jan Nolte, Diana Zimmer, Markus Frohnmaier, Damian Lohr, Carlo Clemens, Sven Tritschler, Dimitri Schulz, Anna Nguyen, Martin Kohler, Jurij Kofner, Hans-Georg Maaßen, Paul Klemm, Fabrice Ambrosini, Sven von Storch.

Further reports on CPAC Hungary 2025 at RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland and at Ungarn heute. Reports in English language from VSquare and euobserver. 

Redaction: Ulli Jentsch