Budapest

Ivan Scalfarotto
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Democracy is under siege — not just in Hungary, but across the world. Budapest is where the cracks showed first, and where people fought back. Every other week, Ivan Scalfarotto sits down with activists, dissidents, scholars, and political leaders to understand why democracies slide into authoritarianism — and how they can be defended. With reason, not rage. Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  1. 20h ago

    Ep. 14 - Elections Remained but Democracy Died, with Armando Armas

    Venezuela is a country where the crisis of democracy has been unfolding for years, and where the collapse of institutions has left citizens facing not only political repression and economic hardship, but also the consequences of a fragile state unable to fully protect them. After years of Nicolás Maduro's rule, Venezuela remains at a crossroads. A country that once had some of Latin America's strongest democratic institutions watched them be dismantled from within. My guest is Armando Armas, a Venezuelan lawyer and former member of the National Assembly, elected in 2015 when the opposition won a historic majority against Nicolás Maduro. In 2017, as Maduro moved to replace that Assembly with a government-controlled Constituent Assembly, pro-government groups stormed the building and assaulted him. Forced into exile, he now works for his country's democratic transition. Venezuela is a warning, because democracy did not disappear overnight. We discuss how authoritarian regimes do not always abolish elections: sometimes they simply drain them of meaning. They capture institutions, weaken the judiciary, control information, and turn the state into an instrument of political survival, reshaping the story a country tells about itself through the media. But as Armas tells me, Venezuela is also a story of resilience. A transition takes more than removing a dictator: it takes rebuilding institutions, restoring trust, and making sure that liberation does not become a new form of dependence. And Venezuelan civil society, he argues, is ready for that. With reason, not rage. In this episode: ∙ Venezuela's authoritarian playbook: institutions, courts and media ∙ The rule of law as the foundation of democracy ∙ The Venezuelan kleptocracy ∙ When elections survive but democracy dies ∙ How the international community failed Venezuela ∙ Dismantling an autocracy without violence ∙ The challenge of a democratic transition ∙ Maduro's capture and international law ∙ Exile, resilience and the soul of a country Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction 1:40 – Democracy is about truth 4:40 – The day of the assault on the rule of law 9:40 – Meaningless elections, Cuba and a lesson from Gramsci 14:25 – The media in private hands 19:00 – Is Venezuela resisting? 24:00 – How the international community failed the Venezuelan people 27:30 – The post-Maduro era: just a change of master? 35:40 – María Corina Machado will not be anyone's puppet 39:00 – We have to earn our liberation 46:45 – How Venezuela is preparing for elections 50:00 – The soul of a country, seen from exile 55:30 – We know the cost of our trauma 56:55 – Use AI to choose your representatives wisely Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  2. Jul 18

    Ep. 13 - There is No Real Alternative for Germany, with Hans-Jochen Wagner

    There is No Real Alternative for Germany, with Hans-Jochen Wagner This time, Budapest steps onto a stage. Not because politics belongs to theatre (well, sometimes...), but because artists often understand politics better than politics understands itself. That is why I invited Hans-Jochen Wagner. One of Germany's best-known television and theatre actors, he has spent his career telling stories about his country, most recently in Deutsches Haus, the acclaimed series inspired by the first Frankfurt Auschwitz trial. He is not a politician. Yet Germany's democratic anxieties belong to everyone, not only to those who sit in parliament. So we begin with a question that still echoes more than thirty years after reunification: is there still a border between East and West Germany? For Wagner, that border no longer divides territories. It divides experiences. While one part of the country had decades to learn democracy, the other was suddenly asked to live it. Perhaps that helps explain why some Germans are once again longing for a state that promises to take care of everything. Memory, too, can become a political battleground. We discuss how Germany confronted the legacy of the Third Reich, why acknowledging historical responsibility should never be mistaken for inherited guilt, and how the far right turns fear into identity while offering very few answers to the problems it claims to solve. As the German Left struggles to offer a compelling political vision, many mainstream parties have chosen an easier path: echoing the language of the Alternative für Deutschland. But, Wagner warns, voters will always prefer the original. His answer is surprisingly simple: do not wait for the state to organise your life. Join a club. A theatre. A sports association. A political party. Meet people. Build communities. Democracy does not organise itself. People do. Because democracy begins at home. With reason, not rage. In this episode: ∙ Is there still a border between East and West Germany? ∙ The Wall that still divides Germany ∙ Responsibility without guilt: remembering the Third Reich ∙ The first Frankfurt Auschwitz trial and why memory still matters ∙ Why echoing the AfD only strengthens the AfD ∙ Germany's cultural sector under pressure ∙ Can art still challenge power? ∙ Why young Europeans still believe in a federal Union ∙ Democracy starts when isolation ends Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction 1:30 – The border between East and West Germany 7:35 – They promised to take care of the people 11:50 – The Berlin Wall shaped many generations 13:28 – The feeling of guilt among young Germans 20:05 – The true Alternative for Germany 25:09 – The populists sell lies 28:00 – Where is the money? 33:20 – The German Left and Sahra Wagenknecht 36:30 – Less money and more censorship for intellectuals 45:00 – The next five years in Germany 47:00 – Youth is working for a federal Union 51:00 – Stop your isolation Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  3. Jul 4

    Ep. 12 - Like Frogs in Boiling Water, with Dragana Djurica

    We are now moving from Budapest to Serbia, where I am joined by Dragana Djurica — Secretary General of the European Movement in Serbia, who also sits on the board of the European Movement International. Before that, she spent almost ten years as a senior expert at the Regional Cooperation Council. We begin with a question that concerns far more than the Western Balkans: has Serbia been lost on Europe's doorstep? For Djurica, the frontier between democracy and autocracy does not follow a map. It runs through people's everyday lives. Democracies rarely collapse overnight: more often, they erode slowly, as citizens grow accustomed to fear and resignation. As soon as people think there is no point in fighting. Like frogs in boiling water. We discuss how the Serbian regime, led by Aleksandar Vučić, has captured institutions, especially the media, through which language and reality are shaped and manipulated. In such a system, criticising corruption becomes an act against the state, while defending democratic values is portrayed as a betrayal of the country. Yet the student-led protests have challenged that narrative. For the first time in years, many Serbians — adults, too — realised they were not alone, and that it was worth it. But we should not romanticise protests in the streets. Moral force is not enough: it must become a political strategy. The streets can awaken society, but only institutions can transform it. On Serbia's future as a democracy also rests the future of Europe's own security and credibility. So let us all remember: the Serbian people are not the Serbian regime. In this episode: ∙ Like frogs in boiling water: how democracies slowly erode ∙ How autocratic regimes manipulate language through the media ∙ The Serbian student protests and what comes next for Vučić ∙ From student movement to political organisation: what is needed ∙ Serbia between Brussels, Moscow and Beijing ∙ Why the European Union cannot afford to lose Serbia ∙ Serbia on Europe's doorstep: threat or opportunity With reason, not rage. Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction 1:10 – Like frogs in boiling water 8:30 – My region deserves a chance 14:35 – How perverse is an autocratic regime 17:25 – Serbians are protesting, what happens now? 18:00 – Regimes have the monopoly over reality 23:00 – When a protest movement organises 27:20 – Vučić first dominated the media 33:00 – Propaganda and LGBTQ+ communities 34:00 – What are Serbia's geopolitical interests? 40:00 – Serbia is a matter of security for the EU 49:00 – Serbian citizens are not the regime Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  4. Jun 22

    Ep. 11 - They Made an Enemy of Me, with Maria Mikaelyan

    It is time for Budapest to move to Russia, with Maria Mikaelyan — architect, activist, and co-founder of the Community of Free Russians in Italy, and one of the voices challenging Vladimir Putin's regime from exile. We start from a straightforward question: can you fight an autocracy from abroad? For Maria, the answer came at a personal cost. Supporting Alexei Navalny's movement, opposing the war in Ukraine, and refusing to remain silent gradually transformed her from an ordinary citizen into an enemy of the state. As repression intensified, exile became not a choice but a necessity, also to protect her loved ones. Keeping in mind the price that individuals pay when authoritarianism turns disagreement into betrayal, we discussed the legacy of the Soviet Union and the resurgence of repression which turned the Russian Federation into a regime of police surveillance. This is the story of nostalgia for the enduring appeal of empire, which normalised the limitation of the basic rights affecting citizens' daily lives, let alone those of the soldiers sent to fight an unfair, useless war in Ukraine. Exhaustion is spreading, and economic pressures are mounting. As Maria recalls, the consensus that once appeared solid may be less stable than it seems. And sometimes, resistance begins simply by refusing to forget. In this episode: ∙ The loneliness of life in exile ∙ Why Navalny became the symbol of a generation ∙ The nostalgia for the Soviet Union and the myth of empire ∙ How Russia became a police state ∙ Pro-Putin narratives beyond Russia's borders ∙ Surveillance, fear, and everyday life inside the Federation ∙ Ukraine's right to sovereignty and self-determination ∙ Why understanding history matters more than ever With reason, not rage. Timestamps: 1:45 – Frontiers are flexible 3:50 – The Armenians no longer trust the Kremlin 8:00 – Navalny's legacy 12:00 – Russians did not have their 1968 15:00 – When protests became dangerous 17:45 – They made an enemy of me 21:20 – The nostalgia for the Soviet Union 25:00 – Moving within Russia: what you need to know 30:45 – The beginning of the police regime 35:00 – The solitude of living in exile 39:00 – The Ukrainian land belongs to Ukrainian people 45:00 – Even war supporters are exhausted 48:00 – The economic struggle is affecting consent 51:40 – Pro-Putin Italians can be nasty 56:55 – First of all, study history Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  5. Jun 6

    Ep. 10 - Is Paris burning?, with Sandro Gozi

    For this episode of Budapest, I am joined by Sandro Gozi, Member of the European Parliament for Renew Europe, Secretary General of the European Democratic Party, and President of the Union of European Federalists — and one of the most convinced and articulate Europeanists I know. We begin in Belgrade, where students have taken to the streets against Aleksandar Vučić's increasingly authoritarian rule. It shows how the line between liberal democracy and autocratic drift can be easily crossed when institutions are weakened and dissent is treated as a threat. And the reason why we cannot avert our gaze is that the European Union is not an exclusive club. From Serbia, the conversation moves to France, where political fragmentation, rising extremism and institutional tensions are reshaping the country's future. But the challenge is not only internal. Russia's threat to European security is real. Donald Trump's return has exposed Europe's strategic vulnerabilities. And when democracies allow those who reject democratic rules to exploit democratic institutions, they risk nurturing their own enemies. But democracy is not an eternal gift. It survives only if citizens are willing to defend it. With reason, not rage. In this episode: The Serbian student movement and the challenge to VučićThe Western Balkans, between European promises and autocratic driftIs Paris burning? Le Pen, Mélenchon and the fragmentation of the French RepublicThe boomerang effect: when democracy tolerates the intolerantEurope exposed: from Putin's threats to Trump's strategic blackmailLiaisons dangereuses: the unstable axis between Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia MeloniThe rights connected to European citizenshipThe importance of digital sovereignty Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 1:50 – Look at Belgrade 3:20 – Serbia and the Balkans can make the difference for the EU 6:00 – The right as a European citizen that you did not know you had 12:10 – The reasons behind the French instability 20:00 – We already know the outcome of the French elections 27:25 – The Russian threat to our security is a matter of fact 29:30 – The boomerang effect: tolerating the intolerant 36:30 – The EU Commission is not standing up to the Trump administration 40:00 – Money, sovereignty and the need for an EU digital strategy 42:45 – Emmanuel and Giorgia: les liaisons dangereuses 48:25 – Democracy is not an eternal gift Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  6. May 23

    Ep. 9 - There Is Always Someone to Your Right, with Cas Mudde

    For this episode of Budapest, I am joined by Cas Mudde — distinguished research professor at the University of Georgia and one of the world's foremost scholars of the far right and populism, whose work spans European politics, the radical right, and the unexpected connection between soccer and politics. Budapest, as he reminds us, is not just a city: it is in ourselves. The line between liberal and illiberal democracy is not as sharp as we would like to believe — and that is precisely what makes it so dangerous. For decades, he argues, the Left misdiagnosed the far right, focusing on the actors rather than the policies. Meanwhile the far right radicalised, and the centre shifted to the right. From Germany's "militant democracy" to the health of US democracy, we trace the return of ideology within the three-dimensional politics of today. Because politics, as Mudde insists, is not just about solving problems — it is about deciding what counts as a problem in the first place. In this episode: How the left misdiagnosed the far rightThe surveillance stateGermany's militant democracyThe Biden lesson on accountabilityRural provinces and the geography of US politicsPlutocracy and the far right: a relationship we need to addressThe return of ideology in three-dimensional politicsMamdani, Sanders, and the class argumentWith reason, not rage. Timestamps  1:21 – Georgia is like Budapest 2:40 – We live in a surveillance state 4:45 – The example of the German "militant" democracy 8:40 – The left has misdiagnosed the far right 13:03 – Is the EU a happy island? 17:00 – Hungary is a unique case — and the Meloni model is spreading 19:15 – The far right doesn't moderate: it's the mainstream that radicalises 23:00 – There is always someone to your right 26:30 – Orbán accepted defeat. Trump did not. 35:00 – You need to be in the rural provinces to win US elections 38:50 – There is no single way out of the far right backlash 43:40 – Plutocracy and the far right: the relationship we need to address 47:00 – The class argument 50:00 – What is the centre in today's three-dimensional politics? 54:00 – We should not fear ideology 58:00 – Biden's lesson on accountability 1:05:00 – Have awkward conversations with people who are close to you Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  7. May 9

    Ep. 8 - The Age of Ju-Jitsu Politics, with Catherine Fieschi

    Catherine Fieschi has spent years studying one of the defining political forces of our time: populism. Founder of Counterpoint, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, and fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, she is among the sharpest observers of how democracies are challenged from within. In this episode, we explore why populism should not be dismissed as anger, protest, or political style, but understood as a serious ideology built around majoritarianism, anti-elitism, and distrust of institutions. From the judiciary to the press, from elections to parliaments, Fieschi explains how populists reshape democratic systems while claiming to speak directly for "the people." At the centre of the conversation is what she calls "ju-jitsu politics": populists win because they turn democratic tools against democracy itself. They use freedom of the press and social media to sell compelling stories — and that is what we ought to learn to do too. The deeper challenge is a cultural one. And we can save democracy even by joining a choir. With reason, not rage. In this episode: Why populism is an ideology, not just a style The populist playbook and ju-jitsu politics Why populists tell better stories The limits of popular sovereignty What citizens — not just "the people" — can do Timestamps 1:15 Watch the French elections in 2027 2:45 Populism is an ideology, so take it seriously 5:45 Illiberal populists are nostalgic 8:00 The three steps in the populist playbook 9:50 What is ju-jitsu politics 12:15 The Parliament is not a TV show 15:45 The populists tell good stories 17:20 Mamdani's authenticity took it all 18:50 The limits of popular sovereignty 23:10 We are citizens, not just people 26:00 What is the way of life you really want? 29:30 The Netherlands as a laboratory 35:45 Populism is a self-fulfilling prophecy 38:00 The Conte 1 Government 41:00 Meloni has delivered nothing beyond stability 43:55 Trump is the ju-jitsu champion 47:00 "They stole my election" 49:20 Use your social media as a citizen 51:15 Build ties with those who are different from you / Join that choir! Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

  8. Apr 25

    Ep. 7 - The true cost of Brexit, with Greg Hands

    Greg Hands has been involved in British politics and public life for over 30 years. He served as Member of Parliament for Chelsea and Fulham from 2005 to 2024 and held several key government roles, including Minister for the Budget, Energy, and Trade, as well as Chairman of the Conservative Party. Brexit, he argues, definitively broke a taboo: a country as deeply tied to the European Union as the United Kingdom — in its legal frameworks, its trade, its daily life — chose to leave. And that choice came with a price. In this episode, Hands explains how the British people experienced the referendum, the real role played by Nigel Farage in the Leave campaign, and the consequences of that decision — not only economic, but above all political. And he leaves us with an uncomfortable question: even if we disagree with Brexit, would we be ready to rejoin the EU under today's circumstances? With reason, not rage. In this episode: Eastern Europe and the legacy of the WallBetween Conservatives and Labour: an overview of the British electoral systemBrexit and its legacyUK and EU: a future of cooperation?The Green Party and an overly broad coalition Timestamps  1:50 1986–2026: the Hungarian parable 4:30 Nationalism in Eastern Europe 7:30 Margaret Thatcher would have liked Brexit? 12:00 Brexit broke a taboo 15:30 Nigel Farage is superficially popular 19:00 Would the UK rejoin the EU? 23:00 How far Brexit can go 26:40 The legacy of Brexit on trade agreements 31:30 The political impact of the referendum 35:00 An insight into the British electoral system 41:20 The UK Green Party's coalition is perhaps too broad 47:00 Risks of polarization in the UK political spectrum 49:30 You may not like the alternative to liberal democracy Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto  Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano  Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri  Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

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About

Democracy is under siege — not just in Hungary, but across the world. Budapest is where the cracks showed first, and where people fought back. Every other week, Ivan Scalfarotto sits down with activists, dissidents, scholars, and political leaders to understand why democracies slide into authoritarianism — and how they can be defended. With reason, not rage. Author and host: Ivan Scalfarotto Editor and social media: Ludovica Taurisano Graphic designer: Paola De Bartolo Visual identity: Martina Santurri Sound designer: Enrico Cabua

Information

  • Creator
    Ivan Scalfarotto
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ivan Scalfarotto
  • Show Website
    Budapest