Is there still something bonding Hungarians together?

By now, it’s almost a platitude to say that Hungarian society is divided. However, disagreements aren’t limited to political and social issues, or where tax money should go; they extend to everyday matters such as preferred means of travel, methods of waste management, or raising our children. It is also these issues that are highlighted by two studies by Policy Solutions from 2022 and 2023. The studies explore the values of Hungarian Society, with a special focus on differing opinions regarding the role of the state, taxation, and economic inequalities. In light of this deep division, a question arises:

Are there things Hungarians agree on at all?

In an attempt to answer this question, 21 Research Centre and the Heinrich Böll Stiftung conducted a public opinion survey, investigating whether there are shared values that, despite strong divisions, could help reduce polarisation and promote social dialogue. The survey, conducted over the summer, asked participants about their core values, views on history and the world, social issues, and everyday events. The results clearly show that Hungarians are primarily divided along party preference lines. Personal political preferences significantly influence how social and economic issues are viewed.

Family: a shared value

Respondents were asked to rank 14 values on a scale of one to five based on how important they considered them. The most important values were freedom, family, and the protection of fundamental human rights, with 93%, 92%, and 89% of participants, respectively, deeming them important or very important. There was a relative consensus among voters of different parties on these values, with the exception of fundamental human rights, which ranked slightly lower among governing party voters (77%). Nationhood as a value was considered important by 71% of respondents, with higher support among Fidesz and Mi Hazánk voters (83% and 98%, respectively) and lower support among other party voters (61%).

When it comes to religion, agreement is much lower: 64% of Tisza Party voters do not consider it important, compared to only 16% of governing party voters. Acceptance of others is also a divisive issue. While 95% of opposition voters – 91% among Tisza voters – consider it important, only 61% of governing party voters share this view.

The family stands out not only as a value but also as a defining environment in the responses: over 90% of all political groups considered it important. However, there are significant differences in how different political groups view their Hungarian identity: for governing party supporters, the nation as a community is much more important (79%) than belonging to Europe (38%). In contrast, a greater share of Tisza Party voters place greater emphasis on European identity (88%) than on national identity (70%).

Overall, family is not only a key community but also a crucial value for Hungarians, regardless of their worldview. This is unsurprising in the case of conservative parties, where the traditional concept of family holds central importance, but it also appeared in progressive initiatives like the pro-LGTBQ “Family is family” (“A család az család”) social media campaign, launched by civil organisations and consequently supported by certain opposition parties.

Therefore, while most Hungarians agree on the importance of family, there might be differences on what exactly “family” means to different Hungarians.

Elements of Hungarian identity

The situation is similar when it comes to views on being Hungarian. Three-quarters of respondents believe that their national identity is important. They were also asked to select three elements they consider most important to their sense of being Hungarian. Here, the results were less unified: the top choice was Hungarian inventions (50%), followed by the uniqueness of the Hungarian language (48%), and Hungarian cuisine (38%). Among opposition voters, Budapest is far more popular (34%) compared to supporters of other parties, especially Mi Hazánk (3%) and Fidesz (14%). Every fifth governing party supporter takes great pride in Hungary’s sports achievements, while voters of other parties prioritise other elements.

Historical events and national thinking

Thoughts on nationhood also include views on historical events. The 1848–49 War of Independence proved to be the most defining point in Hungarian history, with 75% saying it was important or very important, followed by the 1956 Revolution at 69%. However, opinions on certain events are more controversial.

For governing party voters, Hungary’s accession to the European Union is less significant, with 27% saying it is not very or not at all important, while only 2–3% of Tisza Party and other opposition voters share this view.

Similarly, 22% of Fidesz supporters consider the Holocaust less significant, a view that is even more prevalent among Mi Hazánk voters (48%). In contrast, only 11% of opposition party voters hold this opinion. For them, the Treaty of Trianon is what’s less of a crucial issue, with 29% considering it not very or not at all important, compared to just 10% of governing party supporters who share this view.

Shared Past, Shared Future?

Just as views on historical events differ, opinions on future threats also vary significantly among voter groups. Governing party voters consider the Russia-Ukraine war to be the largest threat, with 52% seeing it as the most significant current danger. Additionally,

19% of them ranked migration as the top threat, with 31% placing it as the second most threatening, ranking it higher than the economic crisis, which came only in third place among Fidesz sympathisers.

Among Mi Hazánk supporters, population decline is clearly seen as the most dangerous: 26% ranked it first, and 36% ranked it second. For voters of other parties, the economic crisis is the top concern. For instance, 56% of Tisza Party supporters placed it in first place. Meanwhile, 71% of opposition party voters ranked climate change among their top three concerns, compared to only 28% of governing party voters doing so.

Dividedness

The majority of respondents (81%) believe that society would be better off if politics were less polarising. Outside of governing party supporters, more than 80% of voters in every political group agreed with this statement, and even 64% of Fidesz voters shared this view. However, only 26% of respondents feel that others think similarly to them, while 28% believe that the people around them think differently. Among governing party voters, 44% feel they are in the majority, compared to just 16% of Tisza Party voters and 11% of other opposition voters. Considering this, it may not be surprising that

it is sympathisers of the government who feel the least pressure to bridge the divides in society.

More than half of respondents (55%) believe that imagining ourselves in the positions of others might make us more accepting towards their views. This sentiment is especially strong among those who feel that their opinions represent a minority: 65% of Tisza voters and 74% of other opposition voters share this belief.

The survey highlights that while Hungarian society is deeply divided, the potential for agreement still exists. Different groups have different visions for the future, emphasise different values, and are driven by different fears. However, there are fundamental values that are important to all groups.

Family, freedom, and human rights emerge as values of paramount importance, offering a foundation upon which social dialogue and cooperation could be built.

Another common point is the shared understanding that political division is harmful in the long term, highlighting the need to reduce social tensions. Recognising this is the first step toward reflecting on our own divisions and possibly taking action to address them. By focusing on shared values, we can find goals that help unify Hungarian society.

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