The main opposition Fidesz’s lead over the rival ruling Socialists has narrowed to 40:16 percent by December, a poll by Median released on Tuesday showed.
Support for Fidesz fell from 47 percent in July to 43 percent in November and 40 percent in December among the whole voter sample. In December, a rise in supporters of the Socialists from 14 to 16 percent indicates that the party has soaked up some of Fidesz’s support base, the poll said.
Thirty-two percent of respondents said they supported none of the political parties.
Fidesz garnered 61 percent support among people with clear party preferences, as against the Socialists’ 21 percent. This compares to Fidesz leading 66 to 19 percent against the Socialists in this voter group a month earlier.
The popularity indicator for Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai rose from 24 to 26 in December from November, on a scale of one to 100, with 100 the highest score. The Socialist Attila Mesterhazy, whose candidacy for prime minister was officially announced after the poll was taken, increased his popularity from 23 to 25 in the same period.
Fidesz politicians, two of whom are leading the popularity list, lost some of their support in the month to December. The popularity of Fidesz leader Viktor Orban, number two on the list, fell from 54 to 50 and that of Debrecen Mayor Lajos Kosa, number three, fell from 53 to 49 in the same period.
The most popular government politician was Socialist MP Katalin Szili, who ranked sixth on the list with 37 points in December, up a notch from 36 in November. The most unpopular politician was outgoing Justice and Law Enforcement minister Tibor Draskovics, the poll said.
