The deficit as a proportion of GDP was 6.2% in the 1st half of the year and 3.3% in the 2nd quarter of the year.
According to preliminary data, the deficit of the general government sector in the 1st half of 2026 was HUF 2,809.5 billion, 6.2% of GDP. The deficit of the 2nd quarter stood at HUF 758.2 billion, 3.3% of GDP.
In the 1st half of 2026 the balances by subsectors are as follows. The central government recorded a deficit of HUF 3,106.5 billion, the social security funds a deficit of HUF 16.1 billion, while local governments had a surplus of HUF 313.1 billion. In the 2nd quarter of 2026, the central government had HUF 676.9 billion deficit, local governments had HUF 50.5 billion deficit and the social security funds had HUF 30.8 billion deficit.
In the 1st half of 2026:
The general government sector’s revenues were HUF 19,018.1 billion and its expenditures HUF 21,827.6 billion.
In the 1st half of 2026, compared to the same period of 2025:
Revenues went up by HUF 539 billion (2.9%). The largest, HUF 473 billion (10.4%) increase in value was recorded in revenue from social contributions. VAT revenue growth was HUF 163 billion (4.1%). Taxes on production increased by HUF 150 billion (2.1%). Taxes on income increased by HUF 313 billion (9.7%). Other revenues went down by HUF 399 billion (11.4%).
Expenditures increased by HUF 2,121 billion or by 10.8%. Paid compensation of employees increased the most in both volume and value, rising by HUF 1 044 billion or 23.1%. Interest expenditures increased by HUF 44 billion (2.6%). Social benefits other than social transfers in kind increased by HUF 609 billion (12.7%). Intermediate consumption went up by HUF 129 billion (3.9%) and gross fixed capital formation decreased by HUF 311 billion (21.5 %). Other general government sector expenditures were HUF 607 billion (15.6%) higher compared to the previous year.
The balance deteriorated by HUF 1,582 billion, or by 3.3 percentage points as a proportion of GDP compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the 2nd quarter of 2026, compared to the same period of 2025:
Revenues decreased by HUF 359 billion, or 3.6%.
Expenditures were HUF 462 billion, or 4.6% higher.
The balance deteriorated by HUF 820 billion or by 3.6 percentage points as a proportion of GDP compared to the previous year.
In 2025:
The deficit of the general government sector in 2025 was HUF 4,145 billion, 4.7% of GDP, according to the 2nd preliminary data of the national accounts. HCSO reported the data to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EU, in compliance with the regulation on Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP), according to the methodological requirements included in the European System of Accounts (ESA 2010). The debt of the general government sector at the end of 2025 – based on data of the National Bank of Hungary – was HUF 64,923 billion, 74.4% of GDP.