Airbnb issue in Hungary: with low turnout and almost identical turnout, the VI district orders a ban
The local council told MTI on Monday that around 54pc of the residents of Budapest’s District VI, in the city center, voted for a homestay ban in a two-week referendum that ended Sunday.
The council said that of the 6,083 votes cast, 3,265 backed the ban, and 2,818 were against it. The 20.52 % participation rate was “well over” the rate for similar votes.
Opponents of the ban have provided figures to show that it will not make housing or the price of housing in Budapest any cheaper, as other bans in other world cities have proved. The mayor said that the majority of Airbnb apartment owners are a few wealthy businessmen. Still, on the contrary, the registration clearly shows that most owners (70%) rent out only one apartment.
The figures show that 80% of residents did not express an opinion or that the yes and no percentages are so close that with such a low turnout, it is impossible to determine the true intentions of the district’s residents.
In contrast, the mayor, who invested a lot of energy in campaigning for the ban, declared the result valid and acceptable.
As a result, the local council will ban short-term homestays from January 1, 2026.
This decision will cost the district budget minus €2 million a year. Local hospitality outlets will also experience a severe drop in revenues.
In related news, according to press reports, the Hungarian ruling parties also want to ban Airbnb-type apartments to drive tourists to hotels. On Sunday, Alexandra Szentkirályi, the political group leader of Fidesz in Budapest, even spoke about such a ban. It is important to note here that the vast majority of Hungarian hotels are owned by businessmen close to Fidesz, and the Prime Minister’s son-in-law also owns a number of luxury hotels.
read also:
- Shifting trends in Budapest: Real estate prices, population declines, and creative housing solutions, details here.
- Airbnb association takes up the fight against possible ban in Budapest, details HERE
This is bats… insane, on so many levels.
But, of course, socialists and bats… insane go hand-in-hand. When this anti-democratic decision gets implemented and VI. kerulet finds itself with a giant hole in its budget, let’s guess whose fault it’s going to be. Orban’s and Fidesz’s, naturally.
Universal suffrage was a huge mistake…