Budapest voters reject Fidesz, prefer left-liberal government in 2018

According to the results of the latest Republikon poll, this time exploring party preferences among Budapest residents, if it were just up to the Hungarian capital’s voters, Hungary would have a left-centre or liberal government following the spring 2018 elections. Fully 35% of all Budapest residents indicated that they prefer a new left-centre government, while 27% would rather see Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s party remain in power for a third consecutive term, according to a representative poll based on 800 respondents. A further 11% of Budapest residents would like to see Jobbik, a party that is moving its image from that of a far-right party to the left of Fidesz, to form government.

When broken down by party, we can see that the smaller liberal or “new left” parties perform particularly well in Budapest. This is especially true of Momentum, the Democratic Coalition (DK), the Politics Can Be Different party (LMP) and the satirical Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP). The Republikon’s polling figures are as follows, in terms of decided voters:

  • Fidesz – 36%
  • MSZP – 17%
  • Jobbik -12%
  • DK: 9%
  • Momentum: 9%
  • LMP: 6%
  • MKKP: 5%
  • Együtt: 2%
  • Párbeszéd: 2%
  • Liberals: 1%
  • MOMA: 1%

Republikon poll results in Budapest (July 2017)

The fledgling Momentum party is strongest among Budapest youth. In fact, 56% of its supporters are between 18 and 39 years of age. But overall, the left-centre parties combined are equally present in all age groups. The only area where Fidesz is more popular than the left-centre parties combined is among voters who live in detached houses or townhouses and voters with the lowest levels of formal education. In contrast, the left has an advantage among Budapest residents who live in traditional apartment buildings and in socialist era suburban apartment blocks.

Despite a very visible advertising campaign in Budapest and a more moderate image, Jobbik has not made many inroads in Budapest. The only exception may be slightly increased popularity among those who live in suburban apartment blocks. Here Jobbik’s popularity stands at 15%.

Fidesz seems to be out of touch with a large majority of Budapest residents when it comes to investing in sports stadiums and arenas. For instance,  78% of the Budapest population opposes this. A large majority of Budapest residents of all political stripes, including 67% of Fidesz voters, also believe that a larger proportion of taxes collected in Budapest should be invested back into the city, including into critical transit projects, such as the ill-fated and bungled M3 metro refurbishment.

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