According to the preliminary data of the 2022 census, Hungary’s population has further declined over the past decade. Since 2011, the previous census, the country’s population has sunk by 333 thousand and stands at 9.6 million – 1.1 million less than in its peak in 1980. READ MORE
Commenting on last year’s birth statistics, a conservative commentator thinks that the government’s policy package to try to encourage larger families is mistaken. A pro-government columnist suggests that the drop in the birth rate can be explained by the war in Ukraine, and remains firmly convinced that the long-term demographic trend is positive. READ MORE
Opinions diverge on the government’s policy on families as the Prime Minister and prominent international guests expressed concern about the future of the traditional family at the 4th international forum on demographic issues in Budapest. READ MORE
A conservative commentator welcomes the government’s efforts to reverse the demographic decline with subsidies for families rather than by facilitating immigration. READ MORE
A leading demographer finds it unlikely that the Hungarian demographic decline can be reversed. He suggests that as a result, the retirement age must be raised. READ MORE
A conservative economist suggests that even more subsidies are needed for parents to restore traditional family values and to boost the birth rate.
READ MORE
A leading Hungarian economist of the IMF and the World Bank predicts that discontent with democratic capitalism will increase, and people will turn against the ‘elites that betrayed them’. READ MORE
Commentators disagree on the value of the government’s policies to increase family benefits and strengthen Christian values in an attempt to reverse the demographic downturn. READ MORE
Two independent economic analysts commenting on an EU report on the brain drain recommend that the Hungarian government consider targeted tax cuts for young Hungarians to slow down emigration. A pro-government columnist likens pro-migration EU politicians to colonizers. READ MORE
A pro-government official finds it reassuring that most opposition MPs voted in favour of the government’s family protection bill. A left-wing analyst and a liberal weekly, on the other hand, lambast opposition representatives whom they accuse of selling out to Fidesz. READ MORE