Far more Hungarians (47 percent) believe that Donald Trump's victory would be more favorable for Hungary than those who expect that a win by Joe Biden would bring about a positive effect (22 percent), and even more respondents are unable or unwilling to form an opinion on the issue (31 percent), the latest Real-PR 93 opinion poll found.
Looking at the opinion of decided voters who would definitely go to the polls if parliamentary elections were held this Sunday reveals that the response rate is a few percent higher, reaching 48 percent for those who expect a positive change from Donald Trump's victory and 25 percent for those who believe that the current president's win would be better for Hungary, as shown by the survey findings forwarded to Magyar Nemzet.
Twice as many people
The numbers show that nearly twice as many people expect Donald Trump's victory to produce a positive impact on Hungary than Joe Biden's.
There is a significant difference of opinion on the issue according to party choice: a large majority of Fidesz voters (72 percent) would consider Trump's victory more favorable for Hungary, with this proportion being only 21 percent among left-wing voters, and nearly half of left-wing voters (47 percent) expect Joe Biden's victory to be favorable for Hungary, with the latter ratio being only seven percent among Fidesz voters. Another typical difference is that a higher proportion of ruling party voters formed an opinion, with only 21 percent declining to answer, while a third (32 percent) of left-wing voters were unwilling or unable to answer the question.
Trust in Trump
Although those who would be optimistic if Trump won are in the majority, regardless of where respondents live and their age, the results reveal some difference.
Nearly half (47 percent) of rural voters believe that Donald Trump's win would be better for Hungary, while only 21 percent say that Joe Biden's victory would be more favorable. Among those living in Budapest, the latter response rate is eight percentage points higher (29 percent), and the former is three percentage points lower (44 percent), meaning that even among the Hungarian capital's residents, the majority would expect Trump's victory to bring about a more favorable change for Hungary.
In the oldest age group, those aged sixty or over, there is an absolute majority (55 percent) of those who expect the success of the former Republican president to produce a positive impact on Hungary, with the proportion dropping with age to 41 percent. However, the proportion of those optimistic about Joe Biden's victory remains stable at 20-25 percent in all age groups, with the oldest respondents answering the question with a ten percent higher proportion than those aged under sixty.
US presidential elections in a year's time
As is known, presidential elections will be held in the United States on November 5, 2024. This time next year, we will likely know who the next US president will be. Donald Trump has already announced his intention to run for president in 2024, and as it stands, the Democrats can also expect current President Joe Biden to enter the race. The outcome of the presidential election will certainly have an impact on Hungary and Hungary-US relations, which cannot be described as problem-free under the current US administration. The foreign policies pursued by incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are significantly different: unlike now, under the previous US administration, the Western alliance system avoided involvement in a war and wanted to cooperate with its allies on the basis of interests rather than ideology.
Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Donald Trump meet at the former US president's estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 2, 2022. ( MTI/PM's Press Office/Vivien Cher Benko)
