The New Neighbors. German Immigrants in Hungary Since the 2010s

Contemporary migration is increasingly shaped by globalization, digitalization, and lifestyle considerations, moving beyond earlier models of unidirectional, economically driven mobility. In Europe, these processes affect not only metropolitan areas but also rural regions experiencing demographic decline. This article examines the migration of German citizens to rural Hungary, focusing on the roles of class position, life-course trajectories, and changing social expectations. Drawing on a one-year qualitative study conducted in four villages in southern Hungary, the analysis shows that later-life relocation is closely linked to “mobile aging” and the pursuit of active lifestyles. In addition to economic and lifestyle motivations, political factors emerge as a distinctive pull factor, including preferences for Hungary’s conservative political climate, limited EU regulation, and restrictive migration policies. The findings contribute to debates on lifestyle migration, geoarbitrage, and the socio-political dimensions of transnational aging.