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The Tisza Party has adopted Brussels’ objective of banning Russian energy sources into its programme. The measure would have serious consequences: Hungary could buy less oil, which would raise the price of petrol to 1,026 forints per litre and diesel to 1,051 forints, according to an estimate by Századvég.

Péter Magyar announced that he would ban Russian oil and gas from Hungary, as requested by Brussels. The measure would increase Hungarian families’ electricity and gas bills by three and a half times the current level. The increase in utility costs would mean an extra cost of more than half a million forints per year for an average household.

According to the August 2025 survey of Századvég Konjunktúrakutató, household economic expectations improved significantly (+4.0 index points), while business economic sentiment also strengthened (+1.4 index points) from the previous month. Thus, the household index, measured on a scale of -100 to +100, improved to -15.2, while the business index to -15.1. The August survey found that the most notable positive change for households was an improvement in their economic sentiment, while for companies it was improved expectations regarding the future of the EUR/HUF exchange rate.

Instead of the unanimity required for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, public opinion in 11 EU Member States opposes the belligerent country’s accelerated accession. The majority of the population in several neighbouring and surrounding countries (Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic) as well as in Germany and France, the two most populous Member States of the European Union, do not support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union as soon as possible, according to the latest results of Századvég’s 2025 Project Europe survey.

The latest results of Századvég’s Project Europe survey show that, while Brussels decision-makers continue their policy of distancing themselves from China in the shadow of the US-China trade war, more than 50% of people in all EU Member States believe that the European Union should strive for peaceful economic cooperation with both the United States and China.

80% of European citizens believe the continent is stagnating or declining. The pessimistic attitude can best be explained by the growing cost-of-living crisis: one in three EU citizens has trouble making ends meet, and almost half would be unable to cover a large, unexpected expense. There are significant differences between Member States: while in Greece and Latvia, the relative majority struggles to make ends meet, in the Netherlands and Hungary, three quarters of the population are able to live on their income.

Between 2016 and 2025, support for nuclear energy in the EU increased from 17% to 42%, while opposition fell from 44% to 17%. The technology is one of the most positively perceived in Hungary: two-thirds of Hungarians believe that nuclear power plants should play a decisive role in the energy mix.

On 2 June 2025, Századvég Foundation hosted the conference “A Changing World Order: Questions and Answers for Europe”, which aimed to explore the challenges facing the European Union and the impact of global geopolitical shifts. The event also presented the results of Századvég's Project Europe survey for 2025, which highlighted the current problems and concerns of European citizens.

22% of Europeans are unable to heat their homes properly, and 26% have been unable to pay their utility bills in the past year due to lack of money. Thanks to the overhead cost reduction, Hungary has the lowest figures for both indicators among EU Member States. But the Brussels plan to ban Russian energy would jeopardise the programme, with serious social consequences.

While the European political elite is obsessed with war and armament, in 2025, more European citizens oppose arms deliveries to Ukraine (49%) than support them (44%), and 67% of EU respondents reject sending military troops to support Ukraine, according to the latest results of the Századvég Project Europe survey.

Brussels is considering a new measure to ban Russian energy imports into the European Union. According to Századvég estimates, the missing natural gas volumes would cause prices to double and volatility to increase on European natural gas exchanges, which would further undermine the EU’s competitiveness and increase Hungary’s energy bill by a total of HUF 1,100 billion. With the increased expenses, the overhead cost reduction policy would become unsustainable, and Hungarian families’ heating costs would increase three and a half times the current level, which would mean an average additional expense of nearly half a million forints per year.

According to the March 2025 survey of Századvég Konjunktúrakutató, households’ economic expectations improved by 1.4 index points, while business economic sentiment deteriorated by 3.0 index points from the previous month. Thus, the household index, measured on a scale of -100 to +100, strengthened to -16.1, while the business index weakened to -15.8. In the March survey, the most positive change in household and business sentiment was seen regarding the exchange rate of the forint.

In the first three years of the Russia-Ukraine war, Hungary was hit by costs of around 9,100 billion forints, which amounted to more than 2 million forints per family. Ukraine’s accelerated accession would increase the burden further. The direct costs would be close to 2 thousand billion forints per year, which would amount to almost half a million forints per household. Additional indirect costs, which are difficult to quantify, could be even higher.

Századvég’s latest analysis compares growth forecasts for the German economy with actual GDP growth. The figures show that Europe’s largest economy has systematically underperformed market expectations since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. The European sanctions policy has therefore caused far greater economic damage than anyone had previously expected.

According to the February 2025 survey of Századvég Konjunktúrakutató, business economic expectations improved by 0.1 index point, while household economic sentiment deteriorated by 1.3 index points from the previous month. Thus, the household index, measured on a scale of -100 to +100, weakened to -17.5, while the business index strengthened to -12.8. In the February survey, the most positive change in household sentiment was seen in job stability, while the most negative change was seen in inflation expectations. Businesses’ largest positive change was regarding the future evolution of the forint-euro exchange rate.

Századvég presented its latest research, which aims to explore the impact of recent crises on Hungarian society. The research focused on how crises have affected social stratification, mobility and mental health. The research used a multidimensional approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to identify patterns of crisis impacts across different social groups and geographical units, and to explore deeper contexts and narratives.

According to the January 2025 survey of Századvég Konjunktúrakutató, household economic sentiment remained broadly stagnant (decreasing by 0.1 index point), and business economic expectations improved significantly, by 2.3 index points, from the previous month. Thus, the household index, measured on a scale of -100 to +100, weakened to -16.1, while the business index strengthened to -12.9. In the January survey, the most positive change in household sentiment is most evident in the future planning of major expenditure. Businesses’ largest change was a marked improvement in their industry outlook.