#61 Szabolcs Pék: Hungary in Flux: Party Preferences, Public Shifts, and the Road to the 2026 Election Artwork

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#61 Szabolcs Pék: Hungary in Flux: Party Preferences, Public Shifts, and the Road to the 2026 Election

July 17, 2025 • Central European Affairs Magazine • Season 4 • Episode 9

In this episode of CEA Talk, host Szilárd Szelpál is joined by political analyst and public opinion researcher Szabolcs Pék to unpack the dramatic shifts underway in Hungary’s political landscape ahead of the 2026 general election. With Fidesz's long-held dominance under pressure and Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party surging in the polls, this conversation explores what’s behind the changing public mood, how the opposition is reconfiguring, and whether a true political realignment is taking shape.

From rural support patterns to polling trends and voter psychology, Pék brings a clear and data-driven perspective on where Hungarian politics may be headed—and what it tells us about the broader dynamics of populism, disillusionment, and electoral strategy in Central Europe.