Date of publication: 3 July 2025

Farkas, Eszter & Ujlaki, Anna (2025). Between Welcome and Rejection: Hungary’s Overpoliticized Immigration Narrative. In Mörner, Ninna (Ed.) Changing Migration Patterns: A Comparative Study on the Movement of People and the Impact for Countries in the Region; Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES).

Abstract

This report examines key trends in immigration narratives of Viktor Orbán’s regime and Hungarian citizens’ attitudes in light of these narratives. The chapter reveals that Hungary is predominantly a transit country where migration has been overpoliticized. Our findings show that, despite low actual immigration numbers, state-led narratives intensify public fears. The government favors ethnic Hungarians, Ukrainians, and economically integrated groups while rejecting refugees and Muslim immigrants. Empirical data underscore a significant mismatch between migration realities and political rhetoric.

The original article is available open access: PDF