Monthly newsletter Hungary – December 2021
Corona situation in November
In November, the number of corona deaths rose significantly compared to October. While an average of 34 people died from or with the coronavirus in one week at the end of October, the 7-day average increased to 165 at the end of November. As shown in the following graphic, the daily number of corona deaths in the fourth wave that is currently ongoing (green) now exceeds the number of daily corona deaths from the fall of last year (orange) - despite the fact that more than 85% of Hungarians over 60 are vaccinated.
Vaccination campaign week – 740,000 people in one week
The so-called “Vaccination Action Week” started on November 22nd with the promise without
Prior registration for a vaccination in the more than 100 participating vaccination centers
to be able to record between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Vaccination capacities were increased specifically for this purpose. Participation in the vaccination campaign week was so high that it was extended for another week.
Study on the effectiveness of Covid vaccines in Hungary
The largest Hungarian study to date on the effectiveness of the vaccines was published on November 25th. The study, published in the journal Clinical Microbiology and Infection, comes to the conclusion that all vaccines used in Hungary reduce the risk of infection and mortality from Covid-19 to a large extent. The researchers assume a 10-20 times lower risk of death for those who have been fully vaccinated than for those who have not been vaccinated - but the study did not take into account the fact that vaccination protection decreases over time.
Entry restrictions for traveling to Hungary
For the current status of entry regulations, we always recommend taking a look at the website Foreign Office.
Tax cuts approved for 2022
In mid-November, the Economic Cabinet decided on further tax cuts amounting to more than 2 billion euros, which will come into force from January 2022. In addition to reducing social security contributions by 2.5%, this includes the abolition of contributions to vocational training and Reducing the tax rate for small businesses to 10%.
Economic growth and inflation in Hungary
The European Commission calculates that the Hungarian economy will grow by 7.4%. The
The Hungarian Ministry of Finance, however, lowered its forecast from 7 to 7.5% to 6.8% a few days earlier - the reasons were higher energy prices, the economic consequences in view of the fourth wave of the pandemic and high inflation. At 6.5%, the inflation rate in Hungary reached a 9-year high in October, with the rise in fuel and food prices being particularly responsible for this. The government controlled the middle
November with the Capping petrol and diesel prices which was set at a maximum of 480 HUF (around €1.32).
Elections in Hungary 2022 – Current poll results
The opinion research institute Real-PR 93 saw this in a survey from mid-November
The Fidesz-KDNP list alliance with 55% was clearly ahead of the opposition list, which would only get 44% of the votes.
The values determined by the institute have not changed since the end of October. The Závecz Institute, which is critical of the government, found in mid-November that only 37% would vote for the government parties
Opposition list would come to 41%. 14% are still undecided, the rest of the percentage is distributed among smaller parties.
Despite the opposition alliance's lead as determined by the Závecz Institute, not all of the voters in the opposition's unified list seem confident of victory: 45% of those surveyed estimate that Fidesz/KDNP will win the elections, only 40% believe that Prime Minister Orbán will be voted out
becomes.
Understanding the Hungarian electoral system – an analysis
What peculiarities characterize the Hungarian electoral system? Find out more in Bence Bauer's analysis can be accessed here.
To the source:
The German-Hungarian Institute for European Cooperation is intended to provide a forum for academic, scientific and political dialogue between Germany and Hungary and to familiarize decision-makers and interested specialist audiences from both countries with topics, debates, processes, thought patterns and ideas from the other country. The aim is to achieve greater understanding, communication and constructive cooperation by objectifying the German-Hungarian discourse and thus renew our Europe together.
We would like to support this goal and publish excerpts with the kind permission of the authors. The complete issue can be found here as a PDF. The institute's website you can reach here.
