(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Hungary’s main opposition party is clearly losing momentum, according to a poll by Tarki. 54 per cent of respondents—all decided voters —would support the Hungarian Citizens Party (Fidesz) in the next legislative election, down seven points since October.

The governing Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) is second with 32 per cent, followed by the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) with five per cent, and the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) with four per cent.

Hungarian voters renewed their National Assembly in April 2006. The MSZP and the SZDSZ secured 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.

On Nov. 25, Hungarian president Laszlo Solyom announced the establishment of a "Council of Elders" with that will analyse policies related to education and fighting corruption. Solyon explained his rationale, saying, "Hungary has for many years battled with grave social and economic problems. The economy is in a worrying state, social cohesion is deteriorating and people lack a positive view of the future. There cannot be a way out of the current financial crisis unless the country deals with structural issues."

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 Nov. 5 to Nov. 20, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.