In his recent comments for Expresso, Adam Bartha, Director of EPICENTER, highlighted the EU’s foolishness trying to compromise with Viktor Orban’s government, despite its blackmailing attempts. While Hungary may be able to temporary block further financial support to Ukraine or protect Russia from the next round of sanctions, Orban’s government is ultimately in a weak position. Instead, EU officials should look at institutional reforms that minimise the redistribute nature of the EU and maximise the benefits of the Single Market.

The Lithuanian news outlet ’15min’ published an article discussing the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Europe as a whole. The article explores how Lithuania’s shift toward increased state paternalism in the lifestyle sector is in-line with a broader trend across European countries.

The article by ‘Magyar Hang’ delves into the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Hungary, highlighting how its dispiriting performance aligns with the broader pan-European trend of increasing state paternalism in the lifestyle sector. The article provides an exploration of these findings and their implications.

The Polish news outlet ‘Gazeta Polska’ published an article summarising the findings of the Nanny State Index 2023, focusing on Germany and Turkey, the most and least liberal countries on the list. There is an increase in paternalistic interventions across European countries. Poland currently has the highest tax on carbonated drinks when adjusted for income.

CNN Romania published an article summarising the findings of the Nanny State Index 2023, focusing on Romania’s rank as one of ‘the least free’ countries in tobacco consumption in Europe. Romania has the highest tax for tobacco production when adjusted for income and purchasing power.

The analysis of Romania’s performance in the 2023 Nanny State Index was recently featured in an article by ‘Adevarul‘. The article discusses the reasons behind Romania’s underwhelming performance in the latest edition of the index. Additionally, it highlights the overall trend of increased state paternalism across Europe.

The Romanian news outlet ‘DC News Romania’ published an article discussing the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Romania and Europe as a whole. The article explores how Romania’s scores align with the broader trend observed across Europe, which indicates an increase in state paternalism in the lifestyle sector.

The Spanish newspaper Libre Mercado published an article discussing EPICENTER’s Nanny State Index. The article emphasizes the Spanish government’s notably low level of interventionism in alcohol, smoking, and vaping regulations, securing the fourth position as one of the least interventionist governments among the 30 countries studied.

The Huffington Post Italy has published an article featuring EPICENTER’s Nanny State Index, which explores the trade-off between risk and freedom. The article discusses the limited effectiveness of regulations on alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and food and drinks in improving citizens’ life expectancy while encroaching on their liberty.