Hungarian researchers have successfully conducted 5 citizen discussions

The Hungarian team of researchers from Political Capital Institute in Hungary have successfully conducted the series of discussions with citizens that was planned as part of the CODES project.

The discussions were held in different cities in Hungary between the 9th of September and the 4th of October, 2017. Altogether we held discussions with 52 individuals divided into 5 groups during the study.

The first discussion was organized with local students in Pilisjászfalu, then employees of a community area operating in the Miskolc’s largest housing estates. We also had a group in Hatvan that was generally built on construction workers. We also approached convicted persons in Balassagyarmat and disabled workers in Pécs, either temporarily or permanently, and they make textile-based products in the frames of a programme launched by a social enterprise.

Participants shared their view on the state of the European Union, focusing on the most important pressure points such as migration and economy. They expressed their feelings about advantages and disadvantages of Hungary’s EU membership. The originally positive image of the topic of open borders is currently mobilised by the issue of migration, and the government’s frames dominate this question.

Answers revealed that expectations about the EU are high as well as ambivalence, and discussions pictured the image of a weak EU that has to fulfil big expectations.