Hungarians appear to favor policies supporting families and childbirth over immigration as a solution.Continue reading
Hungarians living abroad maintain a strong family orientation, with the transmission of Hungarian identity being a crucial factor in choosing partners and raising children. This key finding emerged from the “Kötelékek – Family Research among Hungarians Living Abroad” study, presented at the 33rd Tusványos Summer University.
Conducted by the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS), the MCC Youth Research Institute, and the National Policy Research Institute, this study builds on a research begun in 2018. It explores family dynamics in three regions: Transylvania (Romania), Vojvodina (Serbia), and Slovakia, with data from Transcarpathia (Ukraine) gathered through interviews and online surveys due to the ongoing conflict there.
Zoltán Kántor, Director of the Institute for National Policy Research, underscored the family’s role in preserving national and linguistic cultural identity.
The study analyzed aspects such as reproduction, marriage, child-rearing, education, religion, and family support.
Tünde Fűrész, Director of KINCS, highlighted that Hungarians, whether within or outside Hungary, exhibit a strong pro-family stance. Despite this, the average number of children per family has decreased from 2.4 in 2018 to 2.21, partly due to successive crises affecting Hungarian families abroad. Notably, traditional family values, once more prevalent in Transylvania and Transcarpathia, have now strengthened in Vojvodina, likely influenced by Serbia’s family support policies.
Levente Székely, Director of the Institute for Youth Research, pointed out significant demographic declines among Hungarians in Vojvodina, Transylvania, and Slovakia since the fall of communism, with a notable reduction in Transcarpathia as well.
Despite these challenges, the majority of Hungarians abroad still prefer Hungarian spouses.
Looking forward, the study reveals that Hungarian families are largely focused on their future, often maintaining their Hungarian cultural identity. Happiness levels among Hungarians abroad are generally high, with many expressing satisfaction with their lives.
The research also indicates that a significant number of Hungarian emigrants do not plan to return to their countries of origin, with over 60% unlikely to return to their former regions. Mixed marriages are common, and while many do not speak Hungarian with their spouses, they continue to use the language with their children.
The study’s findings, covering living situations, family plans, values, and future outlooks, will be detailed in a forthcoming booklet.
Via MTI; Featured Image: Pixabay