Hungary opposition maintains poll lead

An election is due in spring 2006.


PARTY POLL CONDUCTED BY:

MARKETING GALLUP SZONDA MEDIAN TARKI SZONDA

CENTRUM IPSOS IPSOS

Aug Aug12-19 Aug5-9 July Jul15-21 Fidesz 35 34 29 37 30 32 Socialists 27 23 24 27 27 24 Free Dem. 3 2 2 3 4 3 Democratic Forum 3 2 2 2 1 1 Undecided/ 27 38 40 29 36 37 Won't vote ---------------------------------------------------------------

PARLIAMENT MANDATES AFTER THE 2002 ELECTIONS

Fidesz-MDF 48.7 percent

MSZP Socialists 46.11 percent

SZDSZ Free Democrats 4.92 percent

NOTES: The above figures do not add up to 100 percent as other, smaller parties are not included.

Hungarian opinion polls have a poor record in predicting election outcomes and the high number of undecided voters makes them even more uncertain, according to politicians from both the main political parties and academics.

Fidesz is the right-of-centre party which held power from 1998 to 2002 and is led by Viktor Orban with 169 seats in parliament.

MSZP, or the Socialists, regained power in 2002, surprisingly beating Orban's Fidesz. They were in power from 1994 to 1998. Led by Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, MSZP has 178 seats.

The Free Democrats (SZDSZ), allied with Socialists in parliament, hold 20 seats and are viewed as economic liberals.

The Democratic Forum (MDF) had the first post-communist Hungarian prime minister, but its support has declined dramatically and it may not make the five percent vote threshold in 2006. It holds eight seats after most of its members of parliament defected late last year.

Source: Reuters