‘The families give our economy its strength,’ Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó has told the press at a joint press conference with Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS) President Tünde Fűrész. Minister Hankó highlighted the specific measures and amount of funding of the Hungarian government’s family support policies; as well as what they have achieved thus far.
According to the annual Wellbeing Barometer by Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS), Hungarians rated their satisfaction level at 7.3 on a scale of one to ten in 2024. Married couples have reported themselves to be happier (7.7) than single people (6.6).
The KINCS survey conducted in May clearly shows that Hungarians understand and take seriously the demographic challenges of our time. 78 per cent of respondents believe that the EU faces serious demographic problems that 73 per cent think threaten Europe’s future.
This year’s horse racing season kicks off on Easter Sunday at Kincsem Park with eight races, starting with galloping. Besides horse races, various themed events also await visitors throughout spring and summer.
Kincsem won all 54 races she ran, a record that holds to this day. However, as a filly, she was never sold because of her plain looks—which ended up greatly benefitting her owner Ernő Blaskovich.
The Kopp Mária Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS) held a conference to mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October, unveiling a survey that found that the happiest individuals in Hungary are those living in a marriage or raising children.
‘In international studies, the Hungarian merchant is considered one of the discoverers of Tibetan art, as he recognized the cultural values of the Himalayan peoples early on…He is also considered the second founder of the Asian Art Museum, founded by Ferenc Hopp, as he donated so many, mainly Indian and Tibetan statues and scroll paintings, to the collection.’
During a press conference on 21 October, KINCS presented their new publication, created together with the SZTFH, on the link between families and workplaces, and how the two should function hand-in-hand, with workplaces focusing on creating family-friendly environments for their workers.
‘A horseman cannot consider their occupation to be work. It is a service, a vocation that we are happy to perform, and we are fortunate to be able to do so…It requires constant readiness and dedication, day after day, so anyone who doesn’t really love it would find it difficult. We have to feel the weight of what we do. In the long chain of the stud farm’s history, we cannot be weak links.’
Hungary’s Home Start Programme aims to help both young people and those who have not owned any real estate property achieve home ownership. Minister Hankó Balázs said daily applications show the policy’s success, while also highlighting tax breaks for under-25s and contrasting Hungary’s family-focused strategy with the EU’s migration policies.