Hungarians most optimistic about future among EU nations

According to the Spring 2026 Eurobarometer survey released on Wednesday, among EU citizens, Hungarians were the most optimistic about the future, and far more of them viewed the EU as a source of stability and Hungary’s prospects as bright than six months earlier. (Details of the survey and related data can be found here.)

The data for this representative survey, commissioned by the European Parliament (EP), were collected in member states between April 9 and May 1, while in Hungary, the fieldwork was done between April 14 and May 1—that is, immediately after the election. Among other things, the pollsters were interested in which feelings best described the respondents’ emotional state (respondents could give up to four answers). On a weighted EU average, “uncertainty” was named most frequently (44 percent), just ahead of “hope” (43 percent).

Fifty-seven percent of Hungarians reported feeling hope, the highest proportion among the 27 member states. This was followed by serenity (42 percent), which ranked only fourth in the EU.

Less Hungarians reported feeling uncertainty, helplessness, and anxiety than the EU average, while their levels of confidence, happiness, and determination were above the average.

Seventy-three percent were optimistic about the country’s future, a huge improvement of sixteen percentage points compared to the figures from six months before, and well above the EU average of fifty-nine percent. Hungarians also viewed the EU’s prospects more optimistically (sixty-nine percent, compared to sixty-four percent six months earlier; while the EU average is fifty-nine percent). With regard to their own future and that of their families, the improvement was not quite as dramatic: the proportion of optimists rose from seventy-eight to eighty percent, while the EU average stood at just seventy-six percent.

Far more Hungarians see the EU as a source of stability than six months ago. The trend across the EU is similar, but while the average for the 27 member states “only” rose by eight percentage points, in Hungary, the figure rose by 14, putting it above the EU average (EU: 75 percent, Hungary: 80 percent).

Fifty-nine percent of Hungarians would like to see the EU play a more important role in protecting European citizens against global crises and security risks, but this figure was slightly higher six months ago and remains below the EU average (68 percent).

While in other member states, when it comes to the EU’s tasks, people generally prioritize defense and security (39 percent compared to 34 percent in Hungary), energy independence, resources, and infrastructure topped the list in Hungary. The latter was cited at nearly the same rate in the EU as in Hungary (35 and 36 percent, respectively). Both figures rose significantly, which is not surprising given Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East.

Hungarians are in line with the rest of the EU when it comes to the opinion that member states should act more uniformly in the face of global challenges (nine out of ten Hungarians agree) and that the EU should encourage all countries to respect international law. The latter is particularly interesting given the Hungarian government’s recent decision that the country would remain a member of the International Criminal Court.

At the most recent EU-summit, in-depth discussions had already begun about the EU’s next seven-year budget, set to begin in 2028, and the plan is to finalize the key points by the end of the year; hence, it is important to gauge the extent to which there is agreement on whether the EU needs more resources to address global challenges. Given that Hungary is a net beneficiary, it is no surprise that 83 percent of Hungarians—above the EU average—agreed with this statement to a greater or lesser extent, but 73 percent of EU citizens are also in favor of it.

Seventy-nine percent of Hungarians are satisfied with their quality of life, which is not far behind the EU average of 83 percent. Eighty percent of Hungarians felt that their quality of life had remained the same in the year before the survey; 5 percent said it had improved, and 15 percent said it had gotten worse (in the EU, the figures were 62–11–27). Sixty-seven percent of Hungarians believe this will not change over the next five years, while 23 percent expect their circumstances to improve and 8 percent expect them to worsen (EU: 50–18–29 percent). Healthcare was cited as being particularly important for a good quality of life in Hungary.

Perhaps thanks in part to the campaign, seventy-eight percent of Hungarians—more than the EU average—encountered news about the European Parliament in the media (up nine percentage points compared to the fall of 2025).

The ineffectiveness of the previous government's anti-EU campaign messages is evidenced by the fact that perceptions of both the EP and the EU itself improved significantly in the eyes of Hungarians in the six months leading up to the election.

Fifty-two percent of respondents had a positive view of the EU, 32 percent were neutral, and 15 percent had a negative view. The proportion of those with a neutral view fell by 9 percentage points, but far more people shifted to the positive camp (+6 percentage points) than to the negative or undecided camps.

Perceptions of the country's EU membership improved by a similar margin in Hungary: 81 percent view it as beneficial, and only 16 percent do not. This represents a more positive outlook than the EU average (74 and 21 percent). Hungarians cited job opportunities first and foremost among the benefits, followed by the EU's contribution to economic growth. Far behind, in third place, was the EU's contribution to peace, which ranked first overall in the EU average.