Two surveys published on Monday showed that Hungary's main opposition party - TISA - is increasing its lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party ahead of the April elections. The vote will be about whether the long-serving prime minister can extend his grip on power for another term, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Orban, in power since 2010, will face such a strong opponent for the first time in the upcoming parliamentary elections on April 12. The outcome could lead to serious political upheavals not only in Hungary, but also in Europe and the far-right camp on the Old Continent.
Sociological surveys show that Fidesz is still struggling to regain its position, despite numerous measures taken in favor of voters, after three years of economic stagnation.
Tisa, a center-right party led by Peter Magyar, who left Fidesz in 2024, has increased its lead over the ruling party to 12 percentage points, compared to the 10-point advantage it had in the November poll, the "Mediana" sociological agency reported. (Median) in an article published by the news website hvg.hu.
The Magyar party, which was founded in 2024, is receiving the support of 51 percent of those deciding who to vote for, which is 1 percentage point more than its result in the November poll. Fidesz is supported by 39 percent of respondents, compared to 40 percent two months ago, according to data from the sociological survey conducted between January 7 and 13.
The researchers from "Median" pointed out that TISA mainly attracts voters from other opposition parties rather than from the Fidesz electorate, but the ruling party has failed to attract new supporters despite pro-voter fiscal changes and efforts to capitalize on fears related to the war in Ukraine.
Apart from the two main parties, only the far-right movement "Our Homeland" (Mi Hazank) of Laszlo Torockay has a chance of passing the 5 percent threshold to enter parliament, according to the "Mediana" survey.
A second survey, conducted between December 31 and January 6 and published today by the Idea Institute, shows that support for Tisza stands at 48 percent among those deciding who to vote for, which is 10 percent more than the support received by Fidesz.
Magyar has said that he will keep Hungary in the European Union and NATO and will seek "pragmatic relations" with Russia, unlike Orban, who counts US President Donald Trump as his ally, maintains close ties with Moscow and often enters into conflicts with Brussels.