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The new government, led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, has raised expectations of democratic recovery, often referred to as, “democratic frontsliding”. However, as Poland's ongoing experience illustrates, reversing institutional deterioration is a complex and lenghty process.

Another turning point came on 21 April 2026, when the Ciourt of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered its judgement  in Commission v. Hungary (C-769/22).In a significant ruling concerning Hungary's 2021 "child protection law", the Court found, for the first time in an infrindgement action agains a Member State, a breach of the Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), which enshrines EU's foundational values. CJEU's court ruling addressed the legislation that restricted acces to content depicting LGBTQ+ identities and relationships, finding that the measures violeted EU law and fundemantal rights. 

More recently, on 13 October 2026, the Hungarian Parliament voted to ammend the 2021 law, removing measures restricting portrayal of gender and sexual diversity in content accesible to minors. While this marks a significant policy reversal, broader questions remain about the restoration of fundemantal rights and democratic safeguards in Hungary.

Against this backdrop, this workshop will provide an opportunity to reflect on whether these developments signal a lasting shift in the protection of EU values and waht challenges lie ahead for the EU and its Member States.

Date: 22 October 2026, 9:00- 12:00

Venue: University of Palermo, Law Department, Aula Circolare

The workshop will be held in English.

Click here to join the workshop online

^{The event is organised as part of re:constitution's Alumni Network Incubator Fund, which supports collaborative projects developed by alumni reflecting the network's commitment to sustaining work on democracy and the rule of law beyond the fellowship year.}