Connecting and Incubating the Transatlantic Far-Right: CPAC Hungary

The Conservative Political Action Conference Hungary (CPAC Hungary) is now in its fourth year, serving as a high-profile hub connecting American and European far-right actors. The event brings together key speakers from current and former seats of power across multiple European states and facilitates not only the incubation of emerging influencers and the transatlantic circulation of ideas and funding, but also cooperation among intra-European far-right parties. Beyond functioning as a bridge to the American far-right, CPAC Hungary enables parties to learn from one another, compare strategies, evolve their tactics, and support each other directly and indirectly. This paper examines CPAC Hungary as a transnational hub of far-right legitimation, focusing on the structural mechanisms that underpin its influence. Using social network analysis, I map connections among speakers, organizations, sponsors, and online platforms to illustrate how the event consolidates clusters of ideological alignment, amplifies authority, and transmits legitimacy across borders. The analysis highlights both the event’s role in nurturing individual actors and its broader function in strengthening cohesion and cooperation across European far-right parties. By situating CPAC Hungary within transnational digital and organizational networks, this study sheds light on the mechanisms through which the far-right maintains influence, fosters collaboration, and disseminates shared truths in online and offline spaces. The paper contributes to political science, social media studies, and European studies by offering insights into far-right cohesion and cooperation, transatlantic networks, and the digital infrastructures that support contemporary far-right politics.