Most Hungarians Think Marriage Is the Most Ideal Form of Relationship

According to a survey conducted by the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families, the majority of Hungarians imagine their life in a relationship, seven out of ten consider marriage the most ideal way of life, and among young people, the perception of marriage is even more favorable than average.

In a statement issued on the occasion of Marriage Week, the institute said that its research looked at how typical people think marriage is at certain ages. The results show that young people under 30 are more likely than older generations to think that there is a higher proportion of married people in each age group, meaning that the perception of marriage among young people is more favorable than average, they wrote.

The survey also asked which type of relationship is considered the most ideal for a woman and a man in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The vast majority of Hungarians think that a stable relationship – marriage or a civil partnership – is the most suitable, while being alone is the least desirable lifestyle, especially as people get older.

According to the 2022 census, 23 percent of Hungarian women in their twenties and 13 percent of Hungarian men in their twenties are married, “thus it can be concluded that a higher proportion of young people are married at this age than many Hungarians think.”

For those in their 30s, the marriage rate is broadly in line with reality: 53 percent of women in their 30s and 44 percent of men think marriage is the most ideal form of relationship, which is about the same as the number of people in this age group who are actually married: 52 percent of women and 41 percent of men.

The biggest difference between what is considered ideal and the actual relationship situation is seen among those in their 40s.

Eight out of ten Hungarians in this age group said that the most ideal situation for both women and men would be to be married, however, only 54 percent of women and 50 percent of men are married, according to the census.

The institute highlighted in its statement that Hungarians think that marriage is the best form of relationship, with 70 percent of respondents saying so, while 19 percent said that cohabitation was the best option and seven percent said that a relationship was the best option.

Via Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families, Featured photo via Pixabay