MEP Dömötör's says the majority of the funds went to politically active organizations.Continue reading
The Budapest-based Republikon Institute is acting as a “pillar of manipulation” for left-wing pollsters, writes Magyar Nemzet, claiming it is heavily funded by the European Commission while publishing politically skewed surveys that favor leftist candidates in Hungary.
According to publicly available data on NGO funding reviewed by the newspaper, the Republikon Foundation for Science, Education and Research—which operates the Republikon Institute—has received EUR 1.3 million in grants from the European Commission between 2015 and 2024 for various projects.
In 2024 alone, the foundation reported revenues of over HUF 104 million (cc. EUR 260,000), more than HUF 60 million of which—57%—came directly from Brussels. The foundation is chaired by Gábor Horn, a former member of the now-defunct liberal Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ).
The high level of EU funding is notable, the paper argues, because the Republikon Institute has been accused of publishing misleading polling data to boost the chances of left-leaning political forces.
The newspaper specifically references 2021, when Republikon reported that Hungary’s then-ruling coalition held only 34% support among the general public, while the opposition alliance stood at 40%. Among decided voters, the gap reportedly widened to 52% vs. 44% in favor of the opposition. At the time, Republikon also promoted Péter Márki-Zay as more popular than Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, claiming that among voters familiar with both politicians, Márki-Zay led 55% to 43%, and had an even stronger lead among indecisive voters.
In reality, Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition went on to win the 2022 election by nearly 20 percentage points, securing a two-thirds majority. Magyar Nemzet calls the discrepancy between the polls and the actual result a deliberate attempt to manipulate public opinion in favor of the opposition.
In recent months, Republikon has been publishing polls suggesting a strong lead for the new opposition TISZA party, led by Péter Magyar—a former Fidesz insider-turned-opponent. However, Magyar Nemzet warns that such findings should be treated with skepticism, not just due to past inaccuracies, but because even the institute’s own chairman appears unconvinced.
In a January 23, 2025 television appearance, Gábor Horn said:
The mood in the country is what really matters.
Even if the TISZA party were leading by 8 to 10 percentage points —which I do not believe, I see it as a tie—it would not matter.”
Yet just five days later, on January 28, the institute released a poll showing TISZA ahead of Fidesz-KDNP by seven points among committed voters—mirroring a December 2024 poll which had shown a six-point lead.
This apparent contradiction has raised concerns in pro-government circles, particularly over why the European Commission continues to fund an organization with a track record of flawed forecasting and perceived political bias.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the issue with a touch of irony during a recent speech in Esztergom, quoting Winston Churchill: “I only believe statistics that I doctored myself.”
At the MCC Fest, Orbán commented on the “factory-style” production of opinion polls predicting a landslide for TISZA, warning against putting too much faith in so-called “push polls” — surveys designed not to reflect public opinion, but to shape it.
Such polls, Orbán said, create a “virtual reality”—mirroring the loud online presence of TISZA activists rather than actual grassroots support.
The ultimate measure, he argued, is in real-world engagement. And by that metric, TISZA has underperformed: recent campaign stops in Transylvania and rural Hungary drew disappointing crowds, despite careful stage management.
#Hungary, parliamentary election poll:
TISZA: 43 %
Fidesz-KDNP: 34 %
DK: 6 %
MH: 6 %
MKKP: 5 %
MSZP: 1 %
LMP: 1 %
MM: 1 %
Others: 2 %Republikon, 29/07/25 pic.twitter.com/A8dpCL25Zg
— World Elects (@ElectsWorld) August 2, 2025
The Hungarian left’s reliance on statistical embellishment and political showmanship is reminiscent of Eastern Bloc propaganda that once boasted of surpassing five-year economic plans. The eventual collapse of such illusions, the paper argues, is a well-known historical lesson.
Despite its reputation, the Republikon Institute’s surveys continue to be relied on by international outlets, including Politico. For completeness one must add though that other polling companies tied to the left are also reporting a huge lead by Péter Magyar’s Tisza party. Yet many of the observations regarding Republikon’s methodology and ties to foreign interests can be said of them too. The twenty or so percentage point difference between pro- and anti-government polling sources will leave ordinary Hungarians scratching their heads until the next elections. The only certainty we have at the moment is that PM Viktor Orbán seems to have a strong confidence in his own internal pollsters’ predictions about another huge FIDESZ victory, as in a recent interview he has insisted that the elections in 2026 should be held at the earliest possible date.
Via Ungarn Heute/Magyar Nemzet; Featured image: Pixabay