Orbán’s Geography: Resurrecting 'Alternative Globalization' to Counter European Integration (legrandcontinent.eu)

• Historical continuity between Cold War-era 'Global South' ties and current 'Opening to the East/South' policies.
• Use of the Stipendium Hungaricum to project soft power in emerging markets.
• The political exploitation of 1990s 'status anxiety' to justify a sovereignist, anti-Brussels stance.

"Viktor Orbán’s foreign policy is rooted in the narrative of a 'lost centrality' following the Cold War. By leveraging historical ties forged during the socialist era with the Global South, Budapest pursues an 'alternative globalization' that bypasses traditional Western dependencies. This approach addresses domestic perceptions of decline post-1989 and seeks to re-position Hungary as a pivotal player, not a European periphery. While historical evidence for the depth of these past networks is debated, the strategy remains a potent tool for Orbán to challenge the EU’s liberal framework and project power through non-Western partnerships."