(11/07/09) -

Hungarians Maintain Opposition to Socialists

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The large majority of people in Hungary deny support to the governing Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), according to a poll by Tarki. Only 17 per cent of respondents—all decided voters—would back the Socialists in the next legislative election, down one point since September.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The large majority of people in Hungary deny support to the governing Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), according to a poll by Tarki. Only 17 per cent of respondents—all decided voters—would back the Socialists in the next legislative election, down one point since September.

The opposition Hungarian Citizens Party (Fidesz) remains the dominant force with 68 per cent, up three points in a month. The Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) is in third place with nine per cent, followed by the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) and the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), both with one per cent.

Hungarian voters renewed their National Assembly in April 2006. The MSZP and the SZDSZ won 210 of the legislative branch’s 386 seats, securing a full term for Socialist prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany. Fidesz, led by Viktor Orban, elected 164 lawmakers.

In June 2006, Gyurcsany introduced a fiscal "austerity package" of state subsidy reductions and tax increases, aimed at lowering the country’s fiscal deficit.

In September 2006, Gyurcsany was criticized after Hungary’s state radio aired portions of an audiotape—which had been recorded in May—in which he told members of the MSZP that his administration "lied throughout the past one and a half or two years" about the state of the country’s economy in order to win re-election. The prime minister’s words sparked a two-week riot that threatened to end his government.

In March 2008, Gyurcsany stepped down as prime minister, as he faced mounting criticism over his handling of the economy. The MSZP picked finance minister Gordon Bajnai to be the next head of government. In April, Bajnai and the cabinet survived a no-confidence motion in a 199-169 vote.

In June, Fidesz won 14 of 22 seats in the election to the European Parliament.

Late last month, Hungary’s broadcasting regulator ORTT came under fire when it denied a license renewal to the country’s top two radio stations, Slager and Danubius, giving the permits to newcomers instead. The country only has two nationwide commercial radio frequencies.

ORTT president Laszla Majtenyi tendered his resignation, saying that the decision had been "politically motivated" because the winners of the licensing bid were companies with ties to top political parties.

Slager Radio managing director Edina Heal expressed dismay at the decision, declaring, "Contrary to reports, Slager made the largest offer. (…) A political decision has been made, which means that Hungary’s democracy and press freedom has suffered a serious blow."

The next election in Hungary should take place in the spring of 2010.

Polling Data

Which party would you vote for in the next legislative election? (Decided Voters)

Source: Tarki
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Hungarian voters, conducted from Oct. 8 to Oct. 22, 2009. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.