Published: December 20 2023
The emigration of young people from Hungary is seen as a pressing issue, according to the opposition party LMP. They criticize the government's family policy and claim that it has failed to address the challenge of retaining youth in the country.
The scale of emigration
Over the past decade, an estimated 400,000-500,000 young people have left Hungary for opportunities in Western Europe. The government's focus on creating an economy that serves multinational companies has resulted in low-value jobs with meagre wages, which are unattractive to young people.
Lack of support for returning emigrants
The government's new offices set up to assist young people returning from abroad have been criticized as a mere PR trick. According to LMP, these offices offer basic advice but fail to provide meaningful support to returnees.
Declining population indicators
Preliminary data from the Central Statistical Office (KSH) shows a decrease in the number of births and marriages in Hungary. Moreover, the natural population loss has increased, indicating a concerning trend in the country's demographics.
Conclusion
The call for action by LMP highlights the need for the Hungarian government to address the emigration of young people and prioritize policies that can retain them in the country. The declining population indicators also underscore the urgency of finding solutions to promote demographic stability and sustainable growth.
Questions & Answers
=== What is the main challenge facing Hungary in terms of youth retention? One of the country's gravest challenges is the emigration of young people, with approximately 400,000-500,000 young people leaving Hungary for other countries in Western Europe in the past decade.
Why are young people leaving Hungary? Young people are leaving Hungary in search of better opportunities and a higher quality of life in other countries. The government's focus on creating an economy to serve multinationals, with low-value-added jobs and meagre wages, is not attractive to young people.
What is the government's family policy referred to as? The government's family policy was referred to as a "failure" by Máté Kanász-Nagy.
What did Máté Kanász-Nagy say about the government's new offices for young people returning from abroad? Máté Kanász-Nagy called the government's new offices a "PR trick", stating that they can only provide basic advice and are not useful for providing substantial help to young people returning from abroad.
How many births and deaths occurred in Hungary in November? In November, there were 6,780 births and 10,351 deaths in Hungary, according to preliminary data published by the Central Statistical Office (KSH).
How did the number of births and deaths in November compare to the previous year? In November, the number of births fell by 6.9% compared to the same month in the previous year, while deaths dropped by 5.6%.
What was the natural population loss in November? The natural population loss in November was 3,571 people, compared to 3,678 in October 2022.
How does the birth rate in Hungary compare to the previous year? Between January 2023 and November 2023, 78,579 children were born in Hungary, which is 3.1% fewer than the same period of the previous year.
How does the death rate in Hungary compare to the previous year? Between January 2023 and November 2023, 114,950 people died in Hungary, which is 7.2% fewer than the same period of the previous year.
How many couples got married in Hungary in November? In November, 3,107 couples got married in Hungary.
How does the number of marriages in Hungary compare to the previous year? Between January 2023 and November 2023, 47,480 couples got married in Hungary, which is 22% fewer than the same period of the previous year.
What were the birth rate and death rate per thousand inhabitants in Hungary? The birth rate was 8.9 live births per thousand inhabitants, and the death rate was 13.1 deaths per thousand inhabitants. These rates were slightly lower compared to the January-October 2022 period.
