Hungarian Conservative

The latest print issue of Hungarian Conservative features a full section dedicated to the demographic crisis and family policies which aim to solve it; as well as a posthumously published article by the late great Dr David Martin Jones, and an exclusive interview with Lord David Frost, the Chief Negotiator for Exiting the European Union in the United Kingdom. Pick up your copy now!

‘Family policy will remain of utmost importance to us, as part of our overarching priority of demography during our presidency. It is clear that all of our societies are being reshaped by the challenges of demographic change. The Hungarian Presidency intends to examine demography from the perspective of competitiveness in a holistic way by including it in the agenda of almost all council formations,’ State Secretary responsible for families at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation Ágnes Hornung told Hungarian Conservative in a recent interview.

There are 3.13 million mothers in Hungary who have given birth to a total of 6.22 million children during their lifetime, meaning that Hungarian mothers have two children on average. Since the early 2000s, about three-quarters of adult women are mothers. Compared to 2011, the average number of children in the 20–35 age group has increased slightly (from 1.67 to 1.72), while among mothers aged 45–49 there are now 10,000 more large families, i.e. those with three or more children, than in 2011.

According to the applications for the CSOK Plus submitted in the first two months of the year, two-thirds of the couples requesting the loan are childless. This shows that couples have been encouraged to dare to start a family.

Hungary’s comprehensive family support system has garnered international attention; in order to become acquainted with the policies of Hungary, family-friendly countries frequently consult with government organizations, including the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families.

The Prime Minister of Hungary talked about the need for a global movement ‘advocating for justice, tradition, families, and the people’ at the event.

The figures clearly show that over the past decade the economic and employment boom in Hungary has been accompanied by a marked improvement in the demographic situation.  

According to a recent analysis by the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation, Hungary leads the EU in terms of marriage rate. The government’s family support system and targeted measures play a significant role in this achievement.

Reflecting on the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting this week, the left-leaning news portal decided to make an explicit statement about their perceived—and desired—reality by creating a ranking of the ‘do-gooders’ and the ‘dirty dozen’ of the world leaders gathered in Davos—and, of course, a Hungarian politician just had to be included in the selection.

The family policy of the Hungarian government, among other things, supports the country’s youth through family benefits that can be availed during their higher education, as well as income tax exemption for individuals under 25 and mothers under 30.

According to the information provided by the Sándor Palace, for the most popular question that reached 42 million people on X, 62 per cent of respondents answered that those raising children should not face economic disadvantages.

At the year-end press conference, PM Orbán explained why he chose to veto the €50 billion aid package to Ukraine at the recent EU Summit, how he views the potential Ukrainian and Swedish NATO accession, and what he believes the biggest struggles of 2023 were. He also talked about what hopes he has for the new year of 2024.

After the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, all large Russian opposition media outlets were forced to leave the country. Notwithstanding their dire situation, some of them could nonetheless retain a significant chunk of their former readership, which equals millions. Regrettably, judging by how they portray Hungary, responsible journalism is not their strength.

According to information provided by Ágnes Hornung, state secretary responsible for families, this addition will bring the total number of main pillars supporting the Hungarian family support system to four, alongside home creation, financial security, and freedom of choice.

CSOK Plus is an extremely favourable, state-supported loan for families planning to have children or for those who are wish to have more children. It can be used for the purchase of a first common home, or the expansion or the purchase of a larger common home. It is available in amounts of 15, 30, or even 50 million forints with a fixed 3 per cent interest rate.

In the framework of the new CSOK Plus scheme, the state provides a loan of 15 million forints (EUR 38,960) for couples raising one child, 30 million for families with two children and 50 million for those with three or more children, at a 3 per cent interest rate, Minister of Culture and Innovation János Csák announced.

During her meeting with Musk, the Hungarian President observed that while addressing climate change is necessary, ‘if there are no future generations, there is no point in caring for the Earth.’ Novák emphasized her commitment to families and addressing demographic issues, recalling that family policy has been a priority in Hungary in the past decade, leading to tangible improvements in demographic figures.

According to the European Conservative Reformist Party, similarly to what the Hungarian government advocates, what Europe needs is not a federalist dogma, but sovereign nation states taking into consideration the peculiar needs and characters of regions and communities, for the sake of a prosperous and competitive continent.

Speaking about both past and future efforts, the Hungarian prime minister identified five key targets in Hungary’s family policy: incentivizing childbirth; aiding home ownership; prioritizing mothers in family policy; promoting family-friendliness nationwide; and ensuring legal protection for families.

On the first day of the summit, President Katalin Novák presented ‘the 12 points of the freedom fight of families’, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that family matters and increasing low birth rates lie at the heart of the programme of her government. She also praised Hungary as a great example of effective family policies.

In a radio interview, President Katalin Novák spoke about the upcoming Budapest International Demographic Summit and the importance of family-centric thinking, as well as the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war and her roles as Hungary’s Head of State.

The social media giant’s owner commented on Tucker Carlon’s interview with PM Viktor Orbán on X (Twitter), praising Hungary for its family protection measures. In response, President Novák invited him to the Budapest Demographic Summit this fall. Jordan Peterson also joined the discussion.

‘Supporting the institution of marriage and families promotes social stability. Families provide the foundation for the social fabric of a society; when families are healthy and well-functioning, they provide a sense of belonging, instil values of respect, responsibility, and empathy, as well as provide basic education for children.

Gergely Gulyás emphasised that ‘if there is a political change in the United States, which, of course, depends on the decision of the Americans, then it is certain that Hungarian–American relations can greatly improve with a conservative American administration.’

The new Task Force set up by the Finance Ministry has been portrayed as a sign of austerity measures to come by the opposition media, however, the Ministry has debunked these speculations in a press release. In their statement, the Ministry assures the people of Hungary that family support schemes and the utility price cap will remain in place.

Given Erdoğan’s pro-Ottoman policies, many were a bit surprised that the first to congratulate him in his victory, even two weeks before the runoff when he was projected as the frontrunner, was Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The paradox in this is that both are ardent defenders of their respective faiths that have historically been in conflict with each other.

Minister Gulyás announced that the maximum amount of the childbirth incentive loan (Babaváró hitel) will increase to 11 million forints. This change will come into effect in 2024 and will apply to couples where the woman is under 30 years old. also announced that the food price caps will be extended for one more month, but they will be phased out as of August as they have fulfilled their purpose. Forecasts indicate that inflation is decreasing. At the same time, food retailers mandatory discounts will be increased from 10 to 15 per cent.

The 44-year-old politician, who has been frequently likened to Orbán, publicly announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C.

The State Secretary said that since 2010, every year has been the year of families in Hungary. He added that the family support programmes in the country are still work in progress, with the government working dynamically on introducing new schemes as soon as possible.

Ágnes Hornung reminded that the government has expanded and enhanced the family support system year after year to facilitate childbearing, child-raising, home-building, and work alongside child-raising, all with the aim of leaving more money in the hands of families.