Budapest, Hungary. Hungary’s centre-right Tisza party widened its lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling Fidesz ahead of an April 12 parliamentary election, two opinion polls showed on Wednesday. The surveys also found that a sizeable share of voters remained undecided.
Polls show Tisza ahead among decided voters
Orban, a veteran nationalist, faces what polls describe as the biggest challenge to his rule in 16 years, though the election outcome remains uncertain due to the number of undecided voters.
A poll by 21 Research Centre showed Tisza, led by former government insider Peter Magyar, with the support of 56% of decided voters, up from 53% in early March, while 37% backed Fidesz, down from 39% three weeks earlier. The survey found that 26% of respondents did not know who to back.
Conducted between March 23 and 28 with a sample size of 1,500, the 21 Research Centre poll showed Tisza leading Fidesz by 19 percentage points, up from a 14-point lead in the earlier poll. Published by news site 24.hu, it also showed 40% support for Tisza among all voters, with Fidesz backed by 28%.
Zavecz survey also shows a wider lead
A separate poll published Tuesday and conducted by Zavecz Research found Tisza widened its lead to 13 points among decided voters, from 12 points in a February poll.
Conducted between March 24 and 28, the Zavecz poll showed 51% of decided voters supported Tisza, up from 50% in February, while 38% backed Fidesz, unchanged from a month earlier. Zavecz reported 39% support for Tisza among all voters and 31% for Fidesz, with 20% of respondents undecided, based on a sample of 1,000 people.
Tisza’s stated priorities
Magyar has said his Tisza party would curb corruption, unlock billions of euros in frozen European Union funds to boost the economy, and firmly anchor Hungary in the EU and NATO.
How much could undecided voters influence Hungary’s April 12 parliamentary election outcome?
