Hungary's Tisza party keeps its lead as number of undecided voters drops, poll shows


FILE PHOTO: Peter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza party, waves a Hungarian flag at a rally near the venue of ruling Fidesz party closed doors meeting where Prime Minister Viktor Orban discusses campaign issues with party officials in Kotcse, Hungary September 7, 2025. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo/File Photo

BUDAPEST, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Hungary's main ⁠opposition Tisza party kept a 10-point lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's governing ⁠nationalist Fidesz party in February, according to a poll published on Friday, ‌ahead of a parliamentary election scheduled for April 12.

Orban is facing the biggest challenge to his power since his Fidesz party came to power in a landslide victory in 2010, although the outcome remains uncertain.

Centre-right Tisza ​is led by former government insider Peter Magyar, who ⁠has said his party will tackle ⁠corruption, unlock billions of euros in frozen European Union funds to boost the economy and ⁠firmly ‌anchor Hungary in the EU and NATO.

The latest poll, conducted between January 31 and February 6 by Idea Institute, found that 48% of decided voters ⁠backed Tisza while 38% supported Orban's Fidesz, unchanged from the ​previous month.

Idea Institute also said ‌in a post on its official Facebook page that the number of undecided ⁠voters had ​dropped by 3 percentage points to 24% in a month.

"In the past month, many voters found a party to support, and smaller parties were also able to benefit from that," they said.

According ⁠to the survey, two more parties would win enough ​votes to enter parliament, as both the far-right Our Homeland (Mi Hazank) and left-wing Democratic Coalition (Demokratikus Koalicio) were supported by 5% of voters.

The April vote will have major implications for Europe and ⁠its far-right political forces. Orban, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, has often clashed with the EU on a range of issues while maintaining cordial ties with Russia and criticising Ukraine.

The EU accuses Orban of eroding democratic values in Hungary, which he denies.

Most ​polls have shown Fidesz trailing Tisza despite voter-pleasing measures after ⁠three years of economic stagnation in Hungary, which has also endured the EU's worst inflationary ​surge following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

However, pro-government pollsters show ‌a Fidesz lead.

A February poll published also ​on Friday by the pro-government Nezopont Institute found that 46% of voters supported Orban's Fidesz while 40% backed Tisza.

(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Anil D'Silva)

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

Romantic proposals become a booming business in 'City of Love'
Russia pushes back hard against prospect of US-built nuclear plant in Armenia
Monarchists rally in support of ex-king as Nepal limps toward election
India's Modi speaks to Bangladesh's Rahman, congratulates him on poll victory
EU reconsidering funds for Serbia as justice laws 'eroding trust'
Thailand's Pheu Thai Party to join Bhumjaithai Party-led coalition, PM Anutin says
Russia attacks port near Odesa, kills brothers near front line, Ukrainian officials say
In Karachi, sober raves offer Gen Z a new kind of nightlife
Ukraine expects final IMF deal approval in coming weeks
Germany's far-right woos unhappy car workers

Others Also Read