Dated 4–10 April, 2010
This week’s report consists of 17 national surveys and 1 Global poll.
ASIA zone- 1 national poll covering: 
East Asia- Japan
AFRICA zone- 0 national polls:
EURO-AMERICAS zone-16 national polls and 1 global poll covering:
East Europe- Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia
West Europe- UK, France
North America- U.S.A, Canada
Latin America- Mexico
Subjects covered include: 
Politics and Elections
Political economy
Governance
Sovereignty and Nationalism
Social issues/ Health and Disease
Environment
Commentary on Gallopedia Polls Week # 114
State of Democracy in Hungary
At the eve of 2010 parliamentary elections in Hungary, surveys show the Hungarians disappointment at the state of democracy in their country. Hungarians were among the earliest and most enthusiastic nations to endorse the shift from communism to free market economy and democracy. Twenty years down the line today their perceptions of both the free market economy and democracy the way they experienced it are dismal.
Among the Central and East European countries they are the most dissatisfied nation with democratic institutions and practice. Similarly in a comparative perspective they have the most disappointing image of free market economy today as opposed to the enthusiastic demonstrated two decades ago. They feel they are worse off today than they were under communism. But does this indicate that they are rejecting democracy and free market economy?
Hungarians still highly admire the basic principles of democracy. They believe it is imperative to have multiparty elections, free speech, religious freedom, and civilian control of milita
ry in the country. But such values are lacking in their system. Thus they have the spirit to support democracy but suffer from disfunctional democratic institutions in their county, the actual source of their disapproval.
The survey findings bring attention to two significant issues. A strained ethnic and religious relation within Hungary is one of the problems that the nation is facing. A high majority of Hungarians (69%) have an unfavorable view of Roma one of the key ethnic minorities. Similarly a sizable number of Hungarians (33 % & 29%) have an unfavorable view of Romanians and Jews respectively. This reflects a problem that is quite common in African or Asian democracies. The same survey also discovers that Hungary is no exception in the region facing problems of corruption. Over seven in ten states identify corruption as the nation’s most malicious problem.
Hungry as a ‘democracy’ that is just two decades old, with its eyes set on the Euro bloc membership, is it too ambitious a task to set right institutions and nurture a democratic culture in a short period of time?
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1554/hungary-economic-discontent-democracy-communism
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The complete detailed weekly reports of the project can be found on the
Gilani Research Foundation website.
ry in the country. But such values are lacking in their system. Thus they have the spirit to support democracy but suffer from disfunctional democratic institutions in their county, the actual source of their disapproval. 
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