Hungary: Debate grows over pensioner SZÉP card benefits

Political tension is rising in Hungary regarding the implementation of the SZÉP card benefit for pensioners. Zsolt Nyitrai, an advisor to Viktor Orbán, criticized Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party, alleging that their campaign promises to retirees have not been met. While Magyar previously suggested support could arrive by late 2026, recent indications suggest decisions may not be made until the 2027 budget.

Economist Géza Sebestyén, head of the MCC economic policy workshop, has raised concerns regarding the potential inequity of the proposed benefit structure. He noted a significant threshold effect where pensioners earning slightly above a specific limit (such as 250,000 or 500,000 HUF) could end up with a lower total annual income than those earning just below the threshold due to the tiered distribution of the SZÉP card amounts.