Hungarians think Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány is no more likely to repay a loan than Roma showman and tabloid clown Győző Gáspár, according to a recent study conducted by market information company TNS Hungary. Conductors of the study, which was ordered by tabloid Blikk and summarized by left-leaning daily Népszabadság, asked 500 Hungarians whether they would lend money to known politicians, media personalities, businesspeople, artists and athletes. The study revealed that Hungarians think politicians are the least trustworthy group.
At the top of the list of politicians is State President László Sólyom: 23 out of 100 people would lend money to him. He is followed by opposition leader and Fidesz Chairman Viktor Orbán and MDF Chairwoman Ibolya Dávid (both at 19%), Cardinal Péter Erdő, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (18%) and Mihály Bihari, chairman of the Constitution Court (14%).
Among politicians of the governing party MSZP, people would be most willing to lend money to Parliamentary Speaker Katalin Szili (13%). At the last three places on the list of politicians are Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and MSZP faction leader Ildikó Lendvai (both at 10%) and Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky (8%), who is a member of the MSZP’s junior coalition party SZDSZ.
