Hungary, a country full of pessimism
February 6th, 2013The leading left-wing daily comments on a recent consumer confidence study, which suggests that the Hungarian public is highly disillusioned, despite the government’s efforts to communicate what it considers an economic success story.
According to the survey drawn up by the Nielsen Global Survey of Consumer Confidence, Hungary has the second lowest confidence level after Greece among the 58 countries polled. On the other hand, the level of consumer sentiment has not changed in Hungary since the autumn, while it has fallen in two-thirds of European countries. Globally, 8 of the 10 countries with the lowest levels of confidence are EU member states. Other indices, including the Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index and the Better Life Index also suggest that Hungarians are extremely dissatisfied with their lives, and pessimistic about their future.
Népszabadság points out in a front page editorial that Hungarian households have not become more optimistic about their prospects, despite the government’s efforts to convince the public of its successful policies and its promise that the economy is set to grow. The sentiments of Hungarians follow everyday experience, rather than the government’s rosy rhetoric and, as the surveys indicate, Hungarians see their economic prospects worsening, the left-wing daily contends.