Free Market Road Show 2026 - Budapest Edition

In 2026, the Free Market Road Show celebrates its 20^th anniversary, bringing the global conversation on liberty, constitution, and markets to nearly 40 cities worldwide. This year’s central theme explores the intersection of constitution, law, and economics - examining how technological disruption and government intervention are reshaping the “Constitution of Capitalism.”

The Budapest edition is jointly hosted by the Austrian Economic Center and the Danube Institute uniting two institutions dedicated to constitutional governance, economic freedom, and serious intellectual exchange. Held at the Danube Institute in Budapest, the event places questions of sovereignty, regulation, and market order at the center of the discussion.

The program, among other topics, will address the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and the broader question of whether today’s technological surge reflects sustainable innovation or speculative excess. It will also examine tourism as a global free market, asking what happens when governments intervene too heavily in pricing, mobility, taxation, and local regulation - often distorting competition and undermining long-term prosperity.

Drawing on philosophical, sociological, and economic perspectives - especially the living tradition of the Austrian School - the event will highlight market-based solutions and the enduring importance of constitutional limits on power.

Join the us for a timely and thought-provoking dialogue at the crossroads of freedom, innovation, and constitutional governance.

Programme (may be subject to change)

Master of Ceremonies: Melissa O’Sullivan, Deputy Director, Danube Institute

2:00 – 2:05 P.M.         Intro & Welcome Remarks

2:05 – 2:10 P.M.         Opening Remarks  

• Barbara Kolm, Director, AEC; President of Hayek Institute, Vienna

2:15 – 2:45 P.M.        Keynote Address – “Is there an AI bubble”

• Edward Chancellor, Financial Author, Analyst & Historian, UK

2:50 – 3:10 P.M.        Presentation I – “Is the West in Civilisational Decline?”

• Max Rangeley, Editor, The Cobden Centre, Author of The Age of Debt Bubbles (2025)

3:15 – 3:35 P.M.         Presentation II – “Tourism as a Global Free Market: What Happens When Governments Intervene Too Much?”

• Amir Shani, Associate Professor, Department of Hotel and Tourism Management, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev 

3:35 – 3:55 P.M.        Coffee Break

3:55 – 4:20 P.M.        Presentation III – “Can free markets save the West?”                                              

• David Frost, the Rt Hon Lord Frost of Allenton PC CMG, Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)

4:25 – 5:55 P.M.         Panel Discussion  – “The Importance of Affordable and Reliable Energy Supply for Prosperity - Perspectives from Various Angles and Nations”

• Barbara Kolm, Director, Austrian Economics Center, President of the Hayek Institute, Vice Director of the Austrian National Bank
• Drew Bond, Co-founder & Executive Chairman, Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions (C3 Solutions)
• Szabolcs Pásztor, Economist, Research Director, Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation 
• Philip Pilkington, Macroeconomist, Visiting Fellow, Danube Institute
  Moderator: Mátyás Vajda, Research Fellow, Danube Institute

5:55 – 6:05 P.M.        Audience Q&A
6:05 – 6:10 P.M.        Closing Remarks

Details:

Date & time: Thursday, March 19, 2026, 2:00 P.M.
Venue: Lónyay-Hatvany Villa, 1 Csónak Street, 1015 Budapest (Entrance: Aranybástya Restaurant)
Gate opens at 01:30 P.M.
Language: English

Participation is free; however, due to limited seating, pre-registration is required by clicking the button below.