A majority of Hungarians see a clear difference between domestic political actors in their ability to resist expectations from Brussels, with respondents saying only Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would be able to say no to such pressure, according to a new survey by the Századvég Foundation.
Details of the February poll were released on Wednesday. According to the statement, Fidesz and the opposition Tisza Party represent different positions in ongoing European Union debates on joint borrowing and loans.
The survey referred to financial initiatives worth several hundred billion euros currently on the agenda in Brussels, including support for Ukraine, which could involve common debt issuance. It noted that repayment of such loans could appear in the form of higher member state contributions or new EU revenue sources, potentially affecting national budgets.
In response to the question of whether the statement ‘would not be able to say no to Brussels’ applied more to Viktor Orbán or to Péter Magyar, 57 per cent of respondents named Magyar, while 21 per cent associated the statement with Orbán.
The poll also examined perceptions of potential economic policy consequences. When asked who would be more likely to raise taxes if instructed to do so by Brussels, 51 per cent pointed to Magyar and 30 per cent to Orbán.
Századvég cited an earlier survey indicating that Hungarians reject the introduction of taxes linked to the opposition party and aligned with what it described as Brussels’ plans. According to the statement, such measures would increase costs that would be felt in everyday expenses.
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