Results of the Project Europe Research in 2026
Budapest
24 February 2026
09:00
REGISTRATION
Since 2016, the Századvég Foundation has been conducting regular public opinion surveys for the past ten years with the aim of exploring European citizens’ views on the most important issues shaping the future of the European Union. The unique research programme known as the Europe Project has by now become the largest and most comprehensive comparative public opinion survey in Europe: it covers thirty countries, with a representative sample of one thousand respondents per country, involving a total of thirty thousand participants.
As in previous years, the 2026 Europe Project survey seeks to map public attitudes towards the most significant public policy issues affecting our continent. In addition to examining a broad range of current topics, the latest survey places particular emphasis on perceptions of European and national identity, Europeans’ cost-of-living challenges, and the reconfiguration of social and political processes unfolding in the context of a transforming global order. Key catalysts of these developments include the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war, evaluations of the performance of EU leadership, and the changing nature of Europe’s relations with major global powers.
Beyond mapping societal attitudes, the research programme also functions as a measurement tool, offering an opportunity to assess the extent to which the European political elite is able to adequately and faithfully represent the will of European citizens on the issues that matter most to them.
The professional discourse will be enriched by contributions from Századvég’s researchers, as well as several prominent government decision-makers and political experts, including Tamás Deutsch, Member of the European Parliament; Erik Bánki, Member of the Hungarian National Assembly and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs; and Attila Steiner, State Secretary for Energy at the Ministry of Energy.
The conference will be held in Hungarian, with simultaneous English interpretation provided.
Venue
Castle Garden Bazaar (2-6 Ybl Miklós Square, 1013 Budapest, Hungary)
Date
24 February 2026
Time
09:00
Participation
Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is required
8:00–9:00
Registration
10:30–10:50
Coffee Break
10:50–12:15
Section I: Economy and Livelihood
12:15–13:15
Lunch Break
13:15–14:35
Section II: Energy, War
14:35–15:35
Section III: EU
We reserve the right to make changes to the programme.
Host of the event: Dániel Bohár.
Brussels would admit Ukraine to the EU as early as 2027, before it has fulfilled the accession criteria. According to a recent survey by Századvég, three quarters of EU citizens reject the initiative. Most of them are concerned that the integration of Ukraine would worsen the situation of EU farmers, increase crime, weaken food safety and reduce development funding.
The Patriots have submitted a motion of no confidence against the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. 53% of Hungarians have an unfavourable opinion of the German politician, so the Hungarian MEPs who do not support the motion are siding with Brussels against Hungarians.
Although the Brussels elite is pushing for an increase in arms shipments and would like to send soldiers to Ukraine, European citizens do not agree with these efforts. A new survey by Századvég shows that 51% of EU citizens reject the former, while 69% reject the latter.
