Gina Gustavsson: The new elite dreams of the Pope anointing Melania queen of the USA

From our position at Dagens Nyheters liberal editorial pages, the recent election in Hungary, while a welcome respite, highlights a concerning broader trend. The euphoria surrounding Péter Magyar's victory, while understandable, risks overshadowing the deeper ideological currents at play. This isn't merely a local political shift; it's a symptom of a resurgent, elitist conservatism that is gaining traction globally.

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We liberals can afford ourselves a small victory dance after the election in Hungary – but given the new political trend in the USA, it risks being short.

Figures like Patrick Deneen and Adrian Vermuele articulate a vision that, while cloaked in traditionalism, is fundamentally reactionary. Their core message—that Western civilization is on the brink of collapse unless it reverts to a strictly conservative and Christian path—is gaining influence, amplified by networks that Viktor Orbán has actively nurtured. This intellectual movement, far from being a voice of the common person, represents an elite seeking to fundamentally reshape societal norms and political direction.

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Magyar has just defeated the dragon.

What is particularly striking from our perspective is how this narrative is gaining ground even within established Western institutions. The idea that a deeply conservative and Christian revival is the only salvation for a perceived civilizational decline is a powerful, albeit alarming, one. It challenges the very foundations of liberal democracy and pluralism that we champion. The challenge for us, and for liberal movements across Europe and the US, is to understand and counter this sophisticated, elitist ideology that seeks to dismantle the progress made over decades.

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the difference between Magyar and Orbán is small in terms of policy.

While the Hungarian election offered a moment of relief, it also serves as a stark warning. The underlying forces driving this new conservative elite are potent and require vigilant attention. We must recognize that this is not a fringe movement but a growing intellectual and political force that demands a robust liberal response, grounded in the principles of openness, progress, and individual liberty.

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the new right that is neither particularly popular nor populist, but elitist, and which Orbán has helped to cultivate and spread his networks and ideas for over 15 years.