Parties and voters, 2002–2014

This chapter examines the impact of gender, age, marital status, religion, denomination, region, social status, urbanization, and ideological orientations on party choice. We use educational attainment, subjective financial status, unemployment, and occupation to characterize social status. With regard to recent years, we also include vulnerability to foreign currency loans in the analysis. Ideological orientation is represented by three scales based on self-assessment. In our study, we also examine the relationship between these scales and present the changes that have taken place in the 2000s and the last two years. Based on international experience and knowledge of Hungary's recent past, it can be assumed that the sociological and ideological factors listed above play a role in shaping party preferences. Therefore, let us now briefly review Hungarian and international knowledge regarding each of these factors. As far as the political role of gender is concerned, it should first be noted that in countries with a two-party system in 21st-century democracies, women are more likely to vote for the left, while men generally tend to favor right-wing parties (Inglehart–Norris 2000). The male majority is particularly characteristic of radical right-wing parties, while Christian Democratic parties, despite their right-wing profile, often receive more support from women than from men. The masculine character of right-wing parties is reinforced when they take a stand on abortion.