One of the main topics of public discussion recently has been the state of the nation’s finances. A majority of people think that government spending should never exceed government revenue (66%). Although every fourth respondent might allow that a small excess of spending over revenue could be permissible in the case of financial shortfall in key areas of social expenditure (27%), there is no social acceptance for spending outstripping revenue to any significant degree (only 2% of those surveyed admitted such a possibility). People are in favour of greater financial discipline now than they were in 2010, when the budget deficit was substantially greater than at present: in 2010 the central and local government deficit in relation to GDP was 7.3%, in 2017 it was 1.4%, and estimates for 2018 predict it will be even lower.

When people were asked about the present situation in Poland, a decided majority believed that current government spending exceeds income, while opinions about the size of the budget deficit were divided. Even so, the belief that the deficit is considerable outweighed the opinion that it was moderate (39% as against 33%). Comparison of this year’s results with opinions about the budget collected nine years ago shows that Polish people have a general understanding of the state of public finances. In 2010 a decided majority of those surveyed (73%) thought the budget deficit was substantial.

More on this subject in the CBOS report.