Hungarians, more than other Europeans, feel threatened, burdened by refugees 82%
Observers expect Hungarians to deliver a resounding “no” to accepting EU-mandated refugee quotas in a referendum Sunday. Through the course of a highly controversial campaign, Orbán has been criticized for referring to refugees as “poison” and supporting campaign ads linking refugees to terrorism. Such controversy has exacerbated tensions within the EU on Hungary’s adherence to European values of pluralism and liberal democracy.
Despite the country’s labor shortage, Hungarians overwhelmingly see refugees as an economic albatross, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted this spring. Roughly eight-in-ten believe refugees are a burden on their country because they take jobs and social benefits. Similarly, about three-quarters believe that refugees will increase the likelihood of terrorism in Hungary, and about seven-in-ten see the large influx of refugees from countries like Syria and Iraq as a major threat. These figures are much higher in Hungary than in almost every other EU nation surveyed.
Hungarians, more than other Europeans,  | feel threatened, burdened by refugees  | EU median  | Hungary  | 82%  | 76  | 69  | 59  | 50%  | 49  | Refugees the will  | Large refugees number  | Refugees are a  | Large of refugees number  | burden because  | increase the  | they take our  | likelihood of  | leaving  | Irag/Syria are  | jobs and social  | terrorism in our  | major threat  | benefits  | country  | Note: EU median based on 10 European countries, including  | Hungary.  | Source: Spring 2016 Global Attitudes Survey. Q22g & Q511, C.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 