Analyses - Policy Agenda

Don´t fear to request for help – Fears, Visions and Vulnerability in the Working Society of Hungary

2018 June 14.

„ To be brave, you need to be scared. ” – Thomas Mann

Fright is coded in our genes. Vulnerability of existence is one of the strongest of fears. While at work, primarily as an employee, you will offer your labour force, knowledge, skills and principally your time in exchange for the salary. Salary is requisite for subsistence. Services and goods are acquired in exchange for money. Money is devoted to investments and provisions. The foregoing two are needed to material independence. Our subsistence will become jeopardised without material independence.
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Subsistence minimum and social minimum in 2017

2018 June 1.

The Policy Agenda published the subsistence minimum values in 2016 and 2017 as well, on the basis of the commission of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the Hungarian Trade Union Confederation. This task was performed by the Central Statistics Office, starting from the change of regime until 2015, and it is considered as an important social indicator that gives feedback on the social processes every year.
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Improving Demographic Figures or Just Political Exaggeration?

2018 February 26.

Prime Minister Victor Orban, underlined in his address that demographic trends were improving during the past years. In his assessment the Prime Minister pointed out the rate of growth the pregnancy indices achieved in the past years. According to him, this is owing to the family support scheme in effect. Policy Agenda has examined the demographic figures and the steps of government to see whether any causal nexus exists between them.
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Hungarian managers on the energy sector: competition or overregulation by the state

2017 November 16.

Policy Agenda – Economic Development Index: recoiled economy

2015 February 4.

The Economic Development Index (EDI) calculated by Policy Agenda since 2010 was 0.98 in the 4th quarter of 2014 that is to say – after the drop of the index ( – 0.29) in the third quarter – the EDI did not worsen further. The development perspectives are uncertain, the business environment seems to be unpredictable and the performance of the financial sector will reduce measurably.
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The government should overcome the following problems during the next six months

2015 January 14.

After the local elections, the support for Fidesz has started to decline spectacularly. A series of government failures and conflicts within the governing party have suddenly shaken the dominance that was believed to be unshakeable. The Prime Minister is clearly looking for solutions. Using the Political Impact Index, Policy Agenda has checked what cases are expected during the coming half-year, and which ones may deepen the crisis of the governing parties.
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Further Decline in Economic Expectations

2015 January 7.

The SME Sentiment Index calculated by IBS – International Business School and Policy Agenda has further diminished and it is now below the expectations of the 1st quarter of 2014. According to the survey Hungarian managers put less and less faith in the economy.
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HUF 500 billion spent by the Government from the reserve

2014 August 6.

One of the least visible elements of the prevailing state budget is the budget reserve. When approving the budget, the representatives give the Government a bianco cheque to be used for spending several ten billions of HUF. This money can be spent freely, on less visible tasks only and exclusively how the Government decides the spending. Policy Agenda has tried to examine how the Government has used or rather has abused this cash since the government change of 2010.
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Is Orbán building the foundation of a new state-model?

2014 July 30.

Some people think the speech of the Prime Minister at Tusnádfürdő (Baile Tusnad) means the start of a new era while others say “there’s nothing new in the sun”. What was said can be interpreted in several ways: it is believed that a dictatorial system is being built on the first hand while others consider this speech which shows the intent to find the right way. Policy Agenda has examined the speech what practical effects it can have from the aspect of the settlement of the power.
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Pensioners exposed to 380 Billion Forints of Austerity Measures compared to the Years of Pre-Recession

2014 July 16.

The government keeps arguing that pensioners were protected from the drawbacks of the economic recession. Nevertheless it was this field exposed to the most extensive reforms during the past years. In its analysis the Policy Agenda has examined whether there exists any contradiction between the political watchwords and the acts, and if the government really took all efforts to stand up for the pensioners or it is just an “ego trip”.
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