According to the survey, the majority of Hungarians have a negative opinion about Péter Márki-Zay’s personal qualities that are of political significance. Fifty-three percent of those surveyed say that the left-liberal candidate for prime minister is unlikely to be strong and determined, while 56 percent question the politician’s Christian, conservative commitment.
Fewer and fewer people expect Péter Márki-Zay to win the election
Currently, 7 out of 10 Hungarians think that Péter Márki-Zay will not be able to defeat Viktor Orbán in the spring parliamentary elections, according to the latest poll of Századvég. The survey mapped what politically active Hungarians think of Péter Márki-Zay, along particular characteristics that are decisive for public life, including the public’s perception of certain statements made by the candidate of the left.
Voters question Márki-Zay’s qualities as a politician
According to 59 percent of respondents, Márki-Zay does not put Hungarians in the first place,
while 37 percent expressed the opposite opinion. Public distrust in the mayor of Hódmezővásárhely is shown by the fact that
62 percent of Hungarians do not consider him a straightforward, honest politician,
and only 30 percent of them think that Péter Márki-Zay is “one of us” who represents the interests of ordinary people.
The majority rejects the statements made by the left-wing candidate for prime minister
It is important to emphasize that
70 percent of respondents believe that Márki-Zay will not be able to defeat the incumbent prime minister,
whereas 25 percent expect the left-wing candidate to win the upcoming parliamentary election. It is clear that the left-wing optimism following the victory of the politician from Hódmezővásárhely in the primaries has faded, which is presumably due to the fact that several statements made by Péter Márki-Zay are not compatible with the values of the Hungarian electorate. The latter statement is evidenced by the fact that 72 percent of respondents disagree with the claim of the left-wing candidate for prime minister that it is better to operate health care for profit, and 74 percent oppose the politician’s proposal to privatize hospitals and clinics. In addition, 72 percent of respondents object that Márki-Zay used the term “disabled” in a negative sense in one of his political statements, while 71 percent disagree with the mayor of Hódmezővásárhely calling the supporters of the overhead cost reduction program “mushrooms fed with manure”.
Interestingly, Péter Márki-Zay’s health policy program writer Gabriella Lantos spoke in an interview in 2017 about the introduction of a basic health care fee, which she would have pensioners pay as well. The survey of Századvég shows that
73 percent of Hungarians reject the introduction of the new public burden proposed by Márki-Zay’s consultant,
and only 19 percent of respondent would support the implementation of the idea.
Methodology
CATI method, n=1000, among the politically active Hungarian adult population (politically active = who promise to vote for sure or probably vote), data collection: January 2022