MCC Brussels director resigns as think tank faces closure

Frank Füredi has resigned as the director of MCC Brussels, a right-wing, eurosceptic think tank, citing the failure of its parent institution to provide necessary funding. In a letter to the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) board of trustees, Füredi stated his resignation was due to the employer’s “irreversible breach” of contractual obligations by failing to provide agreed-upon financial resources.

Established in 2022 with support from the former Hungarian government under Viktor Orbán, MCC Brussels was widely viewed as a vehicle for promoting Orbán’s vision for Europe. The organization was largely financed through dividends from state-linked assets. Following a change in leadership in Hungary, incoming Prime Minister Péter Magyar has moved to dismantle the previous administration's political ecosystem, vowing to end the practice of using public assets for political purposes.

Füredi, a former UK sociology professor, has indicated that the think tank is effectively finished in its current form. He is currently calling for the settlement of outstanding salaries and severance payments for the organization's staff.