Dr. Csaba Tóth

Twenty years navigating power. Now exploring what comes next.

I have spent two decades at the centre of European politics — building institutions, running campaigns, and advising leaders from Budapest to Brussels. Along the way I became convinced that the most consequential political battles of the coming decade will be fought over technology: artificial intelligence, automation, and the question of whether democracies can keep up. I work where these two worlds meet.

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Background
Analysis · Academics · Advocacy
A dozen books, two decades of university teaching, regular commentary in international media, and a track record of standing up for democratic values when it mattered most.
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II
Strategy and Counsel
Strategy · Branding · Healthcare
I advise leaders on political strategy, personal positioning, and communications. My clients win elections, build public profiles, and navigate complex institutional terrain.
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AI, Society and Politics
Democracy · AI · Science Fiction
The political world is not ready for what technology is about to do to it. I am one of the few people working at this intersection — and I bring the receipts.
Explore →
"Even viewed with the coolest critical eye, this is an excellent work — both the quality of the analysis and of the writing."— Filmtekercs.hu
"Csaba Tóth doesn't just think and analyse — he makes you think and analyse."— Roboraptor.hu
"Finally, a political scientist who takes science fiction seriously."— Bence Földi, Medium
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Books
From political systems analysis to the science fiction of politics. All titles in one place.
Browse →
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Publications
Academic papers, chapters, and edited volumes.
Browse →
 ▶
Media
TV debates, interviews, and conference appearances.
Watch →
 ✦
Artificial Futures
English-language Substack on AI, governance, and politics.
Read →
 ✦
Fantasztikus Politika
Hungarian-language political analysis Substack.
Read →
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Medgic
Healthcare strategy and patient experience consulting. Co-founded with Gábor Havasi.
Visit →

Let's talk

Whether you need a strategist, a speaker, an analyst, or someone who thinks differently about what's coming.

ctothdr@gmail.com LinkedIn Fantasztikus Politika SciFiPol
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Background

Analysis · Academics · Advocacy

Understanding politics is inseparable from participating in it. Over twenty years I have moved between the seminar room and the campaign war room, between writing books and writing strategy memos, between analysing democratic backsliding and fighting it in practice. The common thread is rigorous thinking applied to real political problems — and a refusal to accept that scholarship and engagement must remain separate worlds.

Download full CV (PDF) →
Dr. Strangelove exhibition

Analysis

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🎙 Háttértudás
✦ Fantasztikus Politika
▶ Media
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Academics

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◆ Books
⊞ Publications
Václav Havel Jury

Advocacy

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Populism vs. Liberalism — with David Goodhart at Brain Bar Budapest
▶ Media
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Strategy and Counsel

Strategy · Branding · Healthcare Communications

I am an existentialist. I believe you are best when you do: You. I help you find it, understand it, contextualise it. Then to rigorously do it, over and over again. Also show it, if needed. Or hide it. I promise: it will feel so... obvious. Why would you have needed anyone for that?

Strategic advisory
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Thinking
You know the feeling when you can't decide what to do, you toss a coin, it lands tails — and you suddenly realise, at that moment, you want heads? (If you are less lucky, you only realise there is no way you do tails, and have to start over.) I will help you figure all this out. Map the options. Give them names. Simulate the toss. So that you will know exactly what to do.
A Tökéletes Kampány (The Perfect Campaign)
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References on request.
On stage
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Appearing
"So all you have to do is really prioritise posing for pictures all the time, smile, be folksy and really funny (not cringe, of course, haha)." I promise not to do this. I understand culture, trade-offs and priorities. Coming from politics, I know that "just try and embrace failing" only works if your field is the game Risk and not actual... risk. I am lucky to do this at a time when authenticity sells.
Pontokban Academy
Co-founded with Szabolcs Dull (former Editor-in-Chief of Index and Telex).
Learn more →
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In the field
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Doing
You know, of course, what execution originally means. (What a smart twist, right?) And yes, sometimes you need to execute. But sometimes you need diplomacy, patience, alliances. I find that most of the time, you just need to convince yourself to do it — because often, it is dull or painful. I will help you bear it. Also, by this point I will know which you disprefer more, and make sure you can do more of the other.
My clients include political leaders, senior public figures, and organisations in high-pressure environments. References on request.
Medgic — Healthcare Strategy
I also work in healthcare strategy and communications through Medgic, a consultancy I co-founded with Gábor Havasi.
Visit Medgic →

President Truman supposedly said: If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Bad advice. A dog might easily betray you for a bigger sausage. I won't. I will also help telling the good advice from the bad. And I will have but one agenda. You. Not what you should be or should do, but who you are and what you will do.

Contact me to see if we are a good fit →
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AI, Society and Politics

Democracy · Artificial Intelligence · Science Fiction

The most important political battles of the next decade will be fought over artificial intelligence, automation, and the future of democratic governance in a world changing faster than the institutions built to manage it. Almost no one in the political world is doing this work. The technologists think politics is a nuisance; the politicians think technology is someone else's problem. I believe the collision between the two will define our era — and that navigating it requires people who understand both worlds from the inside.

Future of Politics — Politics of the Future

Democracy is under pressure not only from authoritarian strongmen but from a narrative crisis: the democratic story has become boring, procedural, and defensive. I am building connections with organisations across Europe and beyond to change this — arguing that science fiction is the most powerful untapped resource the democracy movement has, because fictional universes disarm partisan reflexes and let people engage with democratic ideas through stories they already love.
Republikon Institute — Founder & Strategic Director
Built a liberal think tank from the ground up. Democracy, rule of law, European integration. 25+ country network. 2009–2019.
European Liberal Forum — Board Member
Elected board, 40+ member pan-European think tank network. 2016–2020.
Democracy Narrative Outreach
Active engagement with Global Democracy Coalition, Forum 2000, DE/MO Foundation, CIVICUS, and the Civic Imagination Project.

Artificial Intelligence & Society

Most AI policy discussions forget the third force: democratic publics. My research maps the causal chain from AI development through public opinion to party systems and back into government policy — arguing that anti-AI sentiment is widespread, politically unrepresented, and growing. When a political entrepreneur breaks through, as happened with immigration in 2015, entire party systems could reshape within a single electoral cycle.
"When Robots Take Our Jobs, Who Will We Vote For?"
In Laas (ed.): Citizen-Centred Digitalisation. European Liberal Forum, 2019.
Building Artificial Fences — CAIS Fellowship Research
How public opinion, party systems, and democratic incentives will shape AI development. The immigration analogy and the democratic dilemma.
AI Evaluation — Mercor (2025–)
Applying social science expertise to assess AI-generated content. Clients include OpenAI, Anthropic, and major technology companies.

SciFiPol

Ten years ago I published a book arguing that science fiction is not escapism but a laboratory for political thought. That book became four books, a university course, a conference franchise, and a community of 30+ authors. Now I am building the English-language version: a Substack, an international outreach programme, and a growing body of work applying political science to fictional universes — and fictional imagination to political science.
A sci-fi politológiája
Fantasztikus világok
Párhuzamos univerzumok
Egy galaxissal odébb
SciFiPol Substack
English-language publication. Star Wars governance, Asimov's democratic theory, authoritarian thinking through fictional lenses.
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Conferences across Europe
AI governance in Tallinn, Lem's political vision in Poland, populists in science fiction at Freedom Games, politics in Star Wars at Brain Bar Budapest.
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Háttértudás

Political Analysis Podcast · with Balázs Böcskei

How political decision-making really works. A podcast on Átlátszó.hu where we read between the lines of Hungarian and international politics.

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Media

TV · Debates · Interviews · Conferences

Selected appearances, debates, and writing.

In English
Hungarian Media Freedom
Deutsche Welle · interview
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Do We Need a Pluralistic Europe?
Brain Bar Budapest · debate with David Goodhart
Watch →
AI-Policy or AI-Policing?
Opening speech · AI conference, Tallinn (ELF & Academy of Liberalism)
Watch →
Science Fiction & Politics
Learn Liberty · Students For Liberty
Watch →
The EU Is Like Star Wars' Old Republic
EUobserver · interview
Read →
Illiberal Hungary and Stages of Grief in Politics
4liberty.eu · essay
Read →
Háttértudás — Weekly Podcast
My weekly political-analysis podcast with Balázs Böcskei on Átlátszó.hu — reading between the lines of Hungarian and international politics.
Listen →
In Hungarian
Politics & Science Fiction
3. utas · Tilos Rádió
Listen →
Campaign Strategy
Krízisek és pofonok · Bőhm Kornél
Listen →
Tökéletes kampány
Líra Könyvklub · book feature
Read →
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Publications

Academic Papers · Chapters · Edited Volumes

A selection of academic and policy publications. Most are freely downloadable.

In English & International
Political Science in Hungary: A Discipline in the Making
with Krisztina Arató · in Eisfeld & Pal (eds.), Political Science in Central-East Europe: Diversity and Convergence, Barbara Budrich, 2010, pp. 149–162
Reference →
A Liberal Stance on European Integration
in van Mil et al. (eds.), Liberal Perspectives on European Integration, European Liberal Forum / van Mierlo Foundation, 2015
PDF →
When Robots Take Our Jobs, Who Will We Vote For?
in Citizen-Centred Digitalisation, European Liberal Forum, 2019
ELF library →
Wyzwanie Nieliberalnej Demokracji
The Challenge of Illiberal Democracy · Liberté!, XIX, 2014, pp. 92–97 · in Polish
Liberté! →
In Hungarian
Az új pártrendszer
with Gábor Török · in Társadalmi Riport 2014, TÁRKI, pp. 511–531
PDF →
A győztes mindent visz? A 2018-as választás eredményei
with Andrea Szabó · in Böcskei & Szabó (eds.), Várakozások és valóságok, Napvilág / MTA TK PTI, 2018, pp. 19–43
Volume →
Ki a politológus? Tudós, elemző és más szerepek
with András Körösényi & Gábor Török · Politikatudományi Szemle, XVII/2, 2008, pp. 7–27
PDF →
A magyar pártrendszer fejlődésének fő iránya
Politikatudományi Szemle, 2001/3, pp. 81–104
PDF →
Liberális pártok összehasonlító elemzése
Politikatudományi Szemle, 2000/1–2, pp. 87–150
PDF →
Robots: The Migrants of the Future?
Robotok: a jövő migránsai? · Ellensúly · the possible political consequences of automation
Read (English) →
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Books

Political Science · Strategy · Science Fiction & Politics

A dozen books across political analysis, campaign strategy, and the politics of science fiction.

Strategy & Campaigns

A Tökéletes Kampány
A Tökéletes Kampány — Nyertes stratégiák
Tóth Csaba
Athenaeum, 2021 · 224 pp.
Líra → Libri →
Politika és kommunikáció
Politika és kommunikáció
Tóth Csaba – Török Gábor
Századvég, 2002
Libri (antikvár) →

Political Science

A magyar politikai rendszer
Körösényi András – Tóth Csaba – Török Gábor
Osiris, 2003 (3rd revised ed. 2007)
Szaktárs → Antikvárium →
The Hungarian Political System
Körösényi, András – Tóth, Csaba – Török, Gábor
DKMKA, 2009 (English)
Bookline →
Négy választás Magyarországon
Négy választás Magyarországon
Tóth Csaba – Török Gábor
Osiris, 2015
Bookline →
Member State Violation Against Democratic Principles — What Can the EU Do?
Mikecz Dániel – Tóth Csaba (eds.)
Republikon Institute / European Liberal Forum, 2015 (English)

Science Fiction & Politics

A sci-fi politológiája
A sci-fi politológiája
Tóth Csaba
Athenaeum, 2016
Líra → Moly →
Fantasztikus világok — Társadalmi és politikai kérdések a képzelet világaiban
Tóth Csaba (ed.)
Athenaeum, 2017
Líra → Moly →
Párhuzamos univerzumok
Párhuzamos univerzumok — Képzelet és tudomány
Filippov Gábor – Nagy Ádám – Tóth Csaba (eds.)
Athenaeum, 2019 · 642 pp.
Líra →
Egy galaxissal odébb
Egy galaxissal odébb — Fantáziavilágok valóságai
Filippov Gábor – Nagy Ádám – Tóth Csaba (eds.)
Athenaeum, 2020 · 368 pp.
Líra →