Hungarian Conservative

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 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.  

In Hungary, people traditionally think in terms of owning their own homes, which not only provides predictability but also financial security for the next generation.

During her meetings, Katalin Novák expressed her support for the EU accession of West Balkan nations, visited the troops of the Hungarian-led EUFOR Althea mission, and discussed Hungary’s family support schemes.

‘Family is not the cause, but the solution to climate change. A European study conducted in 2021 by the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS) found that large families live more environmentally conscious and pay more attention to protecting the environment than others, precisely because thus they protect the future of their children.’

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.

Unlike the existing conditions, CSOK Plus does not distinguish between new and used residential properties. New homes are generally more expensive, which means that the same amount of money will buy a smaller property. However, the good news for buyers is that 80 million forints might be sufficient for purchasing a multi-room new apartment or house. On the other hand, new constructions are often more energy-efficient and have more modern layouts compared to properties that are several decades old.

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.

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.

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 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.

On Day 2 of CPAC Hungary 2023, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó proudly proclaimed that ‘Hungary has come out of every crisis stronger than it had entered’. Family was also a prominent topic, as well as the need to protect life and Creation.

‘For us, every Hungarian child is a treasure, no matter where they are born in the world,’ Tünde Fűrész, President of The Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families says. An interview about a real conservative success story.

Hungary managed to stay above the EU average with a fertility rate of 1.61 in 2021. This is also a sizable increase compared to the 1.23 figure the country reported in 2011.

As part of the new cooperation agreement between the two institutions, each year four researchers from the Heritage Foundation will visit Budapest and work with the Danube Institute as visiting researchers.

As opposed to progressive liberalism, conservatives believe in communities, with families being a basic pillar of society.

While in many neighbouring countries giving birth equals going bankrupt, sociological data show that in Hungary, most costs are affordable for the majority of families.

The family policy managed to stop the decline in fertility rates, which characterized Hungary since the 1980s. The last time in Hungarian history, when married couples had more than two children on average was in 1979, while fertility rate in Hungary was permanently above 2 only in the 1950s.

Today Hungary has the second highest proportion in Europe of respondents who would ideally like to have a large family; nine out of ten Hungarians believe that the government should support families having children over encouraging immigration.

4th Demographic Summit: Europe has entered an era of decline, and if we do not protect the integrity of our families, there will be nothing left to prevent the state from collapsing.

The elements of the family support system have been expanding year by year. Nonetheless, the most important among these is the family-friendly mentality, which—slowly but steadily—is taking shape in Hungary.