Foresight
Politics
Poland’s 2025 Presidential Race: Tusk’s Patriotic Gamble
21 April 2025
The ‘Grand Budapest’ project was meant to be another unchecked Fidesz-backed mega-development, but it has spiralled into a political standoff. After months of manoeuvring, the city asserted its right to pre-emption, throwing the 5-billion-euro deal into chaos and fuelling opposition backlash.
The City of Budapest is reclaiming land that the national government sold to Emirati developers – a protracted battle which has triggered a major political and legal showdown over who really controls the capital’s future.
While Budapest may see its purchase of the land as a victory, the saga is far from over. The government is expected to challenge the sale in court, using contractual loopholes to block the city’s move.