Majority of Hungarians Support Patriots' Position

According to the latest opinion poll by the Nézőpont Institute, Hungarians do not support the stance of the European People's Party and its president, Manfred Weber, on several key issues, ranging from war to migration. This may create a serious dilemma for Tisza, the opposition political party that recently joined the left-wing EPP. However, the programme of Patriots for Europe, now the largest force on the European right, aligns with the will of the majority of Hungarian voters.

Andrej Babis, Herbert Kickl and Viktor Orban at the launch of the Patriots for Europe political alliance (Photo: PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)

While the new right-wing party family, led by the Hungarian government and comprising nationalist parties under the name "Patriots for Europe," has been formed in the European Parliament, the European People's Party (EPP) has once again created a left-wing coalition with the socialists and liberals. This coalition, described by Hungary's ruling parties as pro-war, was joined by Hungary's left-wing parties, including, foremost, Peter Magyar's Tisza party.

The fact that Hungarians disagree with the EPP on a number of issues could create a serious dilemma for Peter Magyar and his Tisza party, which joined Manfred Weber's left-wing European People's Party (Photo: AFP)

Nezopont Institute has examined how the EPP voted and how Hungarians, as well as the new right-wing Patriots for Europe alliance based on its June 30th manifesto, view five key decisions taken during the previous European Parliament cycle. According to the results and a comparison of the group's voting statistics, the EPP's stances on sovereignty and child protection, migrant quotas, the duty-free nature of Ukrainian agricultural products, and the freezing of EU funds were diametrically opposed to the views held by Hungarian voters.

 

Sovereignty Protection

While four-fifths of Hungarians (81%) agree that every country should defend its sovereignty against foreign influence, 86% of the EPP voted in favour of the European Parliament resolution on Hungary,  among other things, Hungary's adoption of its new national sovereignty protection law.

 

By contrast, the Patriots' manifesto concludes - aligning with the position of the majority of Hungarians - that "we prioritise sovereignty over federalism, freedom over dictates, and peace: this is the manifesto of the patriots serving Europe."

Tightening the Child Protection Law

Seventy-one percent of Hungarians think that tightening Hungary's Child Protection Law is necessary (or disagree that it is unnecessary), while only 22% believe it is unnecessary. In contrast, 68% of the EPP voted in favour of the European Parliament resolution condemning Hungary's Child Protection Law

Among other things, the adopted document also criticised one principle in Hungary's Fundamental Law stipulating that the mother is female and the father is male, and that Hungary protects children's right to have their identity determined in accordance with their sex observed at birth.

 

Although the Patriots' manifesto does not specifically mention Hungary's Child Protection Law, the message is clearly detectable from the text. According to the authors of the manifesto, Europe is a defender of genuine freedoms, fundamental rights and human dignity, and at the same time strongly opposes any attempt to restrict or reinterpret these freedoms, as well as ultimatums to change them according to current trends.

 

Migrant Quota

The vote in favor of the migration pact was also seen as a move against the majority opinion of Hungarians. While more than two-thirds (69%) of Hungarian voters are against the idea of an EU member state having to pay eight million forints (approximately 20,000 euros) if it does not accept a migrant's asylum application from another member state, 80% of the EPP voted in favor of a migrant quota, known as the mandatory solidarity mechanism, which would penalize countries that do not accept migrants.

 

The Patriots' manifesto represents a stance on migration long supported by the vast majority of Hungarians. The document emphasizes that patriots want a Europe "determined to protect its borders, stop illegal migration, and preserve its cultural identity."

Ukrainian Agricultural Products

The EU relaxing its trade policy with Ukraine in light of the war has dealt a heavy blow not just to farmers in Hungary but in every Central European country. Despite the extension of the measure by the European Union, 69% of Hungarians oppose the provision of duty-free entry to Ukrainian agricultural products into the EU. However, 77% of the EPP members present voted in favor of providing duty-free entry for Ukrainian products.

 

The Patriots' manifesto does not address the issue of the Ukraine war, as it is not a topical political pamphlet but a founding document. However, its text does mention that the founders' vision of Europe is "a vision of nations ready to defend their peoples against any and all potential threats," even if these threats are economic in nature.

EU Funds Due to Hungary

The issue of the frozen EU funds are also viewed very differently in Brussels than in Hungary. The majority of Hungarians (55%) believe that it's unfair to cut off the EU's financial support to Hungary.

 

By contrast, Brussels' financial sanctions against Hungary were backed by 90 percent of the EPP's MEPs. However, the Patriots' manifesto, in line with the majority opinion of Hungarians, underscores that the Europe it wants in the future cannot justify its attacks on national sovereignty by exerting pressure through the European budget.

Cover photo: Andrej Babis, Herbert Kickl and Viktor Orban at the launch of the Patriots for Europe political alliance (Photo: PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)