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Elections in Hungary

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Elections in Hungary are held at two levels: general elections to elect the 386 members of the National Assembly (from 2014 onwards, the number of National Assembly members will be decreased to 199 according to the Act CVIII of 2011), and local elections to elect local authorities.

General elections

The National Assembly (Országgyűlés) has 386 members, elected for a four-year term. 176 members are elected in single-seat constituencies, 152 by proportional representation in multi-seat (or Regional seat) constituencies and there are 58 so-called compensation seats (or National list seats). For the latter two, an election threshold of 5% is in effect. Or in case of two parties' joint list, the threshold is 10%, in case of three or more parties: 15%.

General elections in Hungary were held in two rounds until 2010, with a second, run-off round taking place two weeks after the first. From 2014 a one round system will replace the formerly existing system.

First round

In the first round, each voter may cast

  • one vote for one candidate running for the seat in the single-seat constituency of his/her residence;
  • one vote for a party list established in the multi-seat constituency of his/her residence.

After the polls close:

  • The result in single-seat constituencies where voter turnout was below 50% is declared invalid, and all candidates for the first round enter the second round.
  • Any single-seat constituency where turnout was over 50% and one candidate received over 50% of the votes is won by that candidate, and no second round takes place.
  • In all remaining single-seat constituencies (i.e., where turnout exceeded 50% but no candidate received over 50% of votes), the candidates who finished the first three plus any more candidates having received at least 15% of votes may enter the second round (a kind of runoff voting).
  • The result for multi-seat constituencies where the turnout was over 50% is produced. (If this means all multi-seat constituencies, the parties passing the election threshold can already be determined together with the distribution of the seats from the multi-seat constituencies.)

Second round

In the second round, each voter may cast

  • one vote for one candidate still standing in the single-seat constituency (if the seat wasn't won in the first round);
  • one vote for a party list in the multi-seat constituency (if the first round was invalid due to insufficient turnout).

After the polls close:

  • Any seats in single-seat constituencies where turnout was below 25%, or where the first two candidates received an equal number of votes, will remain vacant.
  • All other single-seat constituencies will be won by the candidate who received the most votes.
  • The result of multi-seat constituencies where turnout was below 25% is declared invalid, and the seats from that constituency are added to the compensation seats.
  • The parties passing the threshold are identified based on multi-seat constituencies with a valid result. Seats from these constituencies are distributed.
  • Parties having passed the threshold are eligible for the compensation seats; these are distributed based on
    • the sum of votes remaining in the multi-seat constituencies after the distribution of the seats, plus
    • the sum of votes cast for losing candidates of each party in the first valid round of each single-seat constituency (similar to the scorporo system). (Since the first valid round is taken into account, votes are still counted for a candidate who is eliminated in the first round, or who steps down after a valid first round in favour of another candidate with more chances to win the second round.)


Changes in the electoral system from 2014 onwards

  • one round system instead of the two round system
  • no 50%, nor 25% turnout is necessary (formerly 50% turnout was needed for the first round and 25% for the second round)
  • 199 seats (decreased from 386)
    • 106 constituency seats (decreased from 176, increased from 45.6% to 53.3% of all seats)
    • 93 national list seats, including minority list seats (decreased from 210 regional- and national list seats, decreased from 46.7% to 54.4% of all seats)
  • 5% threshold still exists in case of national list, and 10% in case of two parties' joint list, 15% in case of three or more parties' joint list.
  • Minorities, that could not reach the 5% threshold (out of all minority list votes, not out of all votes) or could not get at least one seat, will be able to send a minority spokesman to the National Asembly from 2014, who has right only to speak but not to vote. Note, that getting one seat out of the 93 is much harder for minorities, than reaching the 5% threshold out of the minority votes, because one seat means a little bit more than 1% of all the national and minority lists. This minority spokesman solution gives the opportunity to minorities to speak in the National Assembly even if they cannot gain the approximately 1% of all votes.
  • Pre-registration will be necessary, which will be available in local municipalities or on internet. Registration will be opened in September and closed in March or April 2 weeks before the elections. Registration is valid for the general elections, local elections and any by-elections in the following term (normally 4 years).


nomination of candidates

  • general requirement: at least 18 year old, Hungarian citizen
    • for constituency seats: at least 1000 proposal coupons
    • national list: parties, that have set candidates in at least 27 constituencies (out of the 106) in at least 9 county (out of 19) and Budapest
    • minority list: minority councils can set minority lists without restrictions


voting

  • Hungarian citizens with Hungarian residence
    • one vote for the national list of a party
    • one vote for a constituency candidate
  • Hungarian citizens without Hungarian residence
    • one vote for the national list of a party
  • Hungarian citizens with Hungarian residence registered as minority voter
    • one vote for a constituency candidate
    • one vote
      • either for the national list of a party
      • or for a minority list


by-election

By-election is an election held to fill a constituency seat that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections. In case of the vacancy of a national list seat, the next person on the list that is still interested, gets to the National Assembly. This rule has not changed. Note, that by-elections from 2012 are held according to the new system, so only one round is held and no minimum turnout is needed, while the constituencies are the same until 2014.


Latest general elections

The most recent general elections (2010) in the country resulted in an overwhelming majority win for the conservative opposition party Fidesz (which gained a 2/3 supermajority by winning the 68% of the seats (52.7% of the votes)), as well the dramatic rise of the far-right newcomers Jobbik (12.2% of seats, 16.7% of votes), who were just 2.5% short of the former ruling Hungarian Socialist Party (15.3% of seats, 19.3% of votes).

The green liberal, social progressivist Politics Can Be Different (4.1% of seats, 7.5% of votes) was also newcomer, while the liberal conservative formerly parlamentary Hungarian Democratic Forum (2.7% of votes) could not achieve the 5% threshold, and the formerly parlamentary (and also member of the coalition government before 2009) Alliance of Free Democrats was not able to run on the election because of the large decrease of popularity.

This election has changed the balance of power in the National Assembly of Hungary the most significantly since the end of the communist one-party system, as two brand new political forces could have got to the National Assembly while two formerly parliamentary parties fell out and the support of previous ruling party had significantly decreased (from 48.2% to 15.3% of seats, from 40.3% to 19.3% of votes).

2010 Hungarian parliamentary election

← 2006 11 April 2010 (first round)
25 April 2010 (second round)
2014 →

All 386 seats to the Országgyűlés
194 seats needed for a majority
Turnout64.38% (first round)
46.66% (second round)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Viktor Orbán Attila Mesterházy
Party Fidesz–KDNP MSZP
Leader since 17 May 2003 12 December 2009[a]
Last election 164 seats, 42.03% 192 seats, 43.21%
Seats won
Fidesz 227, KDNP 36
Seat change Increase 99 Decrease 133
1R vote and % 2,729,327 (53.4%) 1,087,097 (21.3%)
2R vote and % 620,232 (53.8%) 326,361 (28.3%)
Party vote 2,706,292 990,428
% and swing 52.73% Increase10.70 pp 19.30% Decrease23.91 pp

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Gábor Vona András Schiffer
Party Jobbik LMP
Leader since 25 November 2006 2009
Last election 0 seats, 2.20% Did not exist
Seats won
Seat change Increase 47 New party
1R vote and % 835,841 (16.4%) 258,078 (5.1%)
2R vote and % 141,415 (12.3%) 43,437 (3.8%)
Party vote 855,436 383,876
% and swing 16.67% Increase14.47 pp 7.48% New

Results of the election. A darker shade indicates a higher vote share. Proportional list results are displayed in the top left.

Government before election

Bajnai Government
MSZP

Government after election

Second Orbán Government
Fidesz–KDNP

Parliamentary elections were held in Hungary on 11 and 25 April 2010 to elect the members of the National Assembly.[1] They were the sixth free elections since the end of the communist era. 386 Members of Parliament (MPs) were elected in a combined system of party lists and electoral constituencies.[2] Electoral law in Hungary requires candidates to gather 500 signatures from citizens supporting their candidacy.

In the first round of the elections, the conservative party Fidesz won the absolute majority of seats, enough to form a government on its own. In the second round, the alliance of Fidesz and the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) won enough seats to achieve a two-thirds majority required to modify major laws and the country's constitution.

Background

Fidesz's landslide victory was a result of massive dissatisfaction with the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), which had been in government since 2002. One event that provoked an especially strong backlash was the revelation that the MSZP's Ferenc Gyurcsány, Prime Minister from 2004 to 2009, had admitted in a private speech to party members that he had lied to the general public during the previous election campaign to help his party win re-election. The Őszöd speech, as it came to be called, surfaced in the press during the autumn of 2006 and resulted in nationwide protests.

Polls

The Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) and Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) entered a limited electoral cooperation agreement after polls suggested that they would be unlikely to make it into parliament independently.[3] In March 2010, polls also indicated that parliament after the election would likely be dominated by Fidesz, polling at 53–67% that month, followed by either the ruling Hungarian Socialist Party at 12–22% or newcomer Jobbik (Movement for a Better Hungary) at 11–18%.[4][5]

Opinion polls

Election Party preferences in percentage
(What percentage of eligible voters would have voted for the party)
Agency Date Fidesz MSZP Jobbik MDF LMP SZDSZ KDNP Other
Medián[6] 25 November 2009 66 19 10 2 1 1 n/a 1
Tárki[7] 25 November 2009 68 17 11 1 1 1 2 n/a
Századvég-Forsense[8] 26 November 2009 59 20 12 3 3 1 n/a 3
Tárki[9] 16 December 2009 63 19 12 1 3 1 n/a n/a
Századvég-Forsense[10] 21 December 2009 64 17 9 3 2 0 n/a 4
Medián[11] 25 December 2009 61 23 9 2 1 1 n/a 3
Szonda Ipsos[12] 17 January 2010 63 21 12 2 n/a 1 0 1
Forsense[13] 21 January 2010 59 17 15 5 3 n/a n/a n/a
Medián[14] 21 January 2010 65 19 10 3 1 0 n/a 2
Századvég-Kód[15] 26 January 2010 59 23 10 4 2 1 1 n/a
Tárki[16] 27 January 2010 62 22 11 3 1 1 n/a n/a
Szonda Ipsos[17] 12 February 2010 58 22 14 2 1 1 0 3
Századvég-Kód[18] 18 February 2010 58 23 10 5 3 1 - -
Forsense[19] 22 February 2010 59 18 14 2 5 0 n/a 1
Medián[20] 24 February 2010 63 18 15 2 1 n/a n/a 1
Tárki[21] 3 March 2010 61 22 11 2 3 n/a n/a 1
Szonda Ipsos[22] 11 March 2010 57 20 17 1 3 1 0 1
Nézőpont Intézet[23] 14 March 2010 53 12 12 2 2 n/a n/a 0
Medián[24] 17 March 2010 57 21 18 1 2 n/a n/a 1
Szonda Ipsos[25] 18 March 2010 64 12 13 3 5 n/a n/a 3
Gallup[26] 25 March 2010 67 15 14 1 4 n/a n/a 0
Századvég-Kód[27] 29 March 2010 59 16 17 3 3 n/a n/a n/a

Controversies

The European Parliament elections of 2009 in Hungary saw the rise of right-wing and far-right parties. This trend was covered negatively by some foreign media outlets that feared the rise of intolerance and xenophobia in the country.[28] In addition, Fidesz Member of Parliament Oszkár Molnár was accused of antisemitism after saying "I love Hungary, I love Hungarians, and I prefer Hungarian interests to global financial capital, or Jewish capital, if you like, which wants to devour the whole world, but especially Hungary." He later said that it was only a response to a speech by President of Israel Shimon Peres in which Peres said that his country aims to "colonise" Hungary when he spoke of Israel's investments abroad, and claimed that Israel was "buying out Manhattan, Poland, Hungary...."[29][30] Jobbik leader Gábor Vona, also stirred up controversy with allegations of chauvinism by saying "Hungary is for Hungarians" and must be defended against "foreign speculators".[citation needed] Molnár also claimed that the language of instruction in Jerusalem schools was Hungarian and they were "learning the language of their future homeland". His party at the time, Fidesz, did not denounce his statement but simply said it was "embarrassing". Adding that he would not even consider ousting Molnar from his party or parliamentary faction, as the remark "did not violate the party's bylaws".[31] However, in 2010 he was excluded from the Fidesz, due to these remarks. Instead of him, a Lebanese-origin doctor, Pierre Daher became the Fidesz candidate.[original research?] Molnár also claimed that pregnant Roma women deliberately try to induce birth defects so they can give birth to "fools to receive higher family subsidies. I have checked this and it’s true; they hit their bellies with a rubber hammer so that they’ll give birth to handicapped kids." In 2011, he denounced Roma women at the Hungarian police authorities.[32]

Another Fidesz parliamentarian, Ilona Ékes, wrote to the police to ban a gay pride event in Budapest, saying that homosexuality was a mental illness and demonstrators would scandalise people, as they did in previous years, when homosexual activists imitated sexual intercourse on stage and other activists were allegedly blasphemous.[33][34] According to Ékes, the demonstrations would harm youngsters, whose school season was to start on the same day.[clarification needed][35]

A Hungarian analyst was cited as saying Fidesz tolerates such provocative rhetoric from its members because of fears they would vote for Jobbik instead.[citation needed]

Foreign interference

Former Jobbik MEP Krisztina Morvai wrote an open letter to Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, the United States Ambassador to Hungary, alleging foreign interference after the ambassador visited the headquarters of three major parties but not that of Jobbik.[36]

Results

2010 Hungarian parliamentary election, first round: First-placed candidates by parties in the single-seat constituencies:
██ = majority won by Fidesz-KDNP (119)
██ = plurality, Fidesz-KDNP (56)
██ = plurality, MSZP (1)
2010 Hungarian parliamentary election, first round: second-place candidates by parties in the single-seat constituencies
██ = MSZP (112)
██ = Jobbik (60)
██ = Somogyért Szövetség (1)
██ = Fidesz-KDNP (1)
██ = independent candidate (2)
PartyProportionalSMCs (first round)SMCs (second round)Seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsNationalTotal+/–
FideszKDNP2,706,29252.73872,732,96553.43119620,23253.81533262+99
Hungarian Socialist Party990,42819.30281,088,37421.280326,36128.3122959–131
Jobbik855,43616.6726836,77416.360141,41512.2702147+47
Politics Can Be Different383,8767.485259,2205.07043,4373.7701116+16
Hungarian Democratic Forum136,8952.67072,7681.42000–11
Civil Movement45,8630.89034,9380.68000New
Hungarian Workers' Party5,6060.1105,6680.110000
Social Democratic Party of Hungary4,1170.0803,1560.06000New
Unity Party2,7320.0503,4220.07000New
Hungarian Justice and Life Party1,2860.0302,3450.050000
Hungarian Democratic ForumAlliance of Free Democrats12,6520.25000
FideszKDNPEntrepreneurs' Party10,6610.2108,7960.76101
Association for Somogy7,4700.15000–1
Hungarian Democratic Forum–Összefogás Megyénkért4,0520.08000
Torgyán-Kisgazda-Koalíció3,0790.06000New
Green Left1,4250.03000New
Magyarok Egymásért Szövetsége1,0270.02000New
Forum of Hungarian Gypsy Organizations Roma Co-operation Party4910.010000
Independent Smallholders Party3810.010000
Independents33,7020.66012,4521.0811+1
Total5,132,531100.001465,114,570100.001191,152,693100.0057643860
Valid votes5,132,53199.275,114,57098.931,152,69399.39
Invalid/blank votes37,9080.7355,4281.077,1180.61
Total votes5,170,439100.005,169,998100.001,159,811100.00
Registered voters/turnout8,034,39464.358,034,39464.352,486,11146.65
Source: National Election Office, Election Resources

Party list results by county

County[37][38] Fidesz-KDNP MSZP Jobbik LMP MDF Others
Bács-Kiskun 60.45 14.62 15.70 5.58 2.23 1.43
Baranya 54.53 21.07 12.68 8.90 2.83
Békés 53.20 18.45 19.21 5.21 2.05 1.89
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén 45.87 18.90 27.20 4.20 1.84 1.98
Budapest 46.32 25.33 10.84 12.81 4.70
Csongrád 50.72 20.38 15.93 7.66 2.57 2.75
Fejér 54.16 17.91 16.20 6.96 2.69 2.07
Győr-Moson-Sopron 59.68 16.87 12.57 6.32 2.95 1.60
Hajdú-Bihar 57.92 14.04 18.86 5.05 2.34 1.78
Heves 45.78 21.02 24.97 6.04 2.19
Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok 49.42 17.88 24.01 5.65 2.13 0.91
Komárom-Esztergom 51.31 23.39 13.76 8.37 3.17
Nógrád 51.84 20.39 20.82 5.57 1.37
Pest 52.90 17.58 16.52 8.35 2.75 1.89
Somogy 59.63 19.74 14.23 6.39
Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg 53.84 14.84 23.64 2.86 1.81 3.01
Tolna 58.68 17.88 15.44 5.45 2.54
Vas 62.77 16.96 12.09 6.37 1.81
Veszprém 56.79 18.81 14.66 7.15 2.59
Zala 57.21 16.85 16.91 5.80 2.65 0.58
Total 52.73 19.30 16.67 7.48 2.67 1.16

Turnout

All times are CEST.

Round 1[39]
7:00 9:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:30 Overall
1.61% 10.23% 24.78% 35.88% 46.78% 59.28% 64.36%
Round 2[39]
7:00 9:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:30 Overall
1.36% 8.50% 19.37% 27.11% 33.54% 41.89% 46.52%

Post-election controversies

Four Jobbik MPs—Gábor Staudt, Gergő Balla, Zsolt Endrésik and Péter Schön—were removed from their committees because they had failed a vetting procedure that asked whether any MP's maintain contact with groups that engage in "activities that deny the basic principles of a state governed by the rule of law." Staudt, a co-founder of the Magyar Gárda Society—that was banned in 2007—had been on the national security committee, while the other three were on the defence and law enforcement committees. Staudt reacted in saying he found the result to be unconstitutional, and that he would file a criminal report with the interior minister against Defence of the Constitution Office director general László Balajti. The four would, however, continue to be MPs.[40]

References

  1. ^ "Earth Times: Hungary to hold general election on April 11". Earthtimes.org. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Országos Választási Iroda - 2010 Országgyűlési Választások". Archived from the original on 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  3. ^ "MDF, SZDSZ plan election cooperation in Budapest". Politics.Hu. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  4. ^ "Fidesz still forecast to win two-thirds majority at elections". Politics.Hu. 2010-02-25. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  5. ^ "New poll reveals Fidesz leading firmly, voter activity rising". Politics.Hu. 2010-02-25. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  6. ^ "A pártok támogatottsága novemberben". Median.hu. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  7. ^ "TÁRKI - Sajtóközlemények". Tarki.hu. Archived from the original on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Századvég-Forsense". Szazadveg.hu. Archived from the original on 2 March 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  9. ^ "TÁRKI - Sajtóközlemények". Tarki.hu. Archived from the original on 19 December 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Századvég-Forsense". Szazadveg.hu. Archived from the original on 11 March 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Szűkülő olló". Median.hu. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  12. ^ Gábor, Angyal (17 January 2010). "Az MSZP-t sújtja a lanyha választási kedv". Nol.hu. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Forsense: Az MSZP alig előzi meg a Jobbikot". Origo.hu. 21 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Trendetlenség". Median.hu. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Századvég-Kód". Szazadveg.hu. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  16. ^ "TÁRKI - Sajtóközlemények". Tarki.hu. Archived from the original on 30 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  17. ^ "A Fidesz rontott, a Jobbik történelmi csúcson". Nol.hu. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Századvég-Kód". Szazadveg.hu. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Forsense » Fenyegető környezeti problémák". Forsense.hu. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Nő a szavazókedv, erősödik a Jobbik". Hvg.hu. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  21. ^ "TÁRKI - Sajtóközlemények". Tarki.hu. Archived from the original on 6 March 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  22. ^ "Szonda Ipsos". Hirado.hu. Archived from the original on 16 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  23. ^ [1] [dead link]
  24. ^ "Mindnyájuknak el kell menni..." Median.hu. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  25. ^ "Kossuth". Mr1-kossuth.hu. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  26. ^ "Analytics and Advice - Solve your organization's most pressing problems - Gallup". Gallup.hu. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  27. ^ "Századvég-Kód". Szazadveg.hu. Archived from the original on 1 April 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  28. ^ Taras, Raymond (2012-06-30). Xenophobia and Islamophobia in Europe. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-5489-5.
  29. ^ "Israel aims to colonize Hungary with Jews, says extreme right - Haaretz - Israel News". Archived from the original on 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  30. ^ "Israeli President: We are buying up Manhattan, Hungary, Romania and Poland". YouTube. 12 May 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
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  34. ^ "Átirányítási figyelmeztetés". Google.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
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  37. ^ "Területi választókerületi eredmények".
  38. ^ "A pártok területi listáinak eredményei országos összesítésben".
  39. ^ a b "Informative Data on the Number and Proportion of Those Turning out at the Parliamentary Elections". Valasztas.hu. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
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Notes

  1. ^ Mesterházy was selected as the MSZP's Prime Minister candidate on 12 December 2009, but was not leader of the party until July 2010.

Composition of the National Assembly since 1990

1990–1994:
33 93 21 21 164 44 10
1994–1998:
209 69 20 22 38 26 2
1998–2002:
134 24 148 17 48 14 1
2002–2006:
178 20 164 24
2006–2010:
190 20 141 23 11 1
2010–2014:
59 16 227 36 47 1
  MSZP
  SZDSZ
  LMP
  MDF
  KDNP
  FKGP
  Fidesz
  MIÉP
  Jobbik
  Independent


Figure shows the inaugural session of the terms. Later few changes can happen. For example in 1993, the nationalist-radicalist members of MDF quit the party and founded the MIÉP which had got to the National Assmbly only once in 1998. In 2011 some MSZP members quit the party led by former prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány and founded the DK.

Prime ministers and their governments since 1989

Parties   MSZMP / MSZP   Fidesz   MDF   Independent

# Picture Name From Until Political Party Cabinet Assembly
(Election)
style="background:Template:Hungarian Socialist Party/meta/color; color:white"| — Miklós Németh
(Provisional)
23 October 1989 23 May 1990 MSZP Németh
MSZP
style="background:Template:Hungarian Democratic Forum/meta/color; color:white"| 35 József Antall 23 May 1990 12 December 1993
(died)
MDF Antall
MDFFKGPKDNP
1 (1990)
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Hungarian Democratic Forum/meta/color; color:white"| 36 Péter Boross
(acting)
12 December 1993 21 December 1993 MDF Boross
MDFFKGPKDNP
Péter Boross 21 December 1993 15 July 1994
style="background:Template:Hungarian Socialist Party/meta/color; color:white"| 37 Gyula Horn 15 July 1994 8 July 1998 MSZP Horn
MSZPSZDSZ
2 (1994)
style="background:Template:Fidesz/meta/color; color:white"| 38 Viktor Orbán 8 July 1998 27 May 2002 Fidesz Orbán I
FideszFKGPMDF
3 (1998)
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|39 File:Medgyessypéter.JPG Péter Medgyessy 27 May 2002 29 September 2004
(resigned)
Independent Medgyessy
MSZPSZDSZ
4 (2002)
rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Hungarian Socialist Party/meta/color; color:white"|40 Ferenc Gyurcsány 29 September 2004 9 June 2006 MSZP Gyurcsány I
MSZPSZDSZ
9 June 2006 14 April 2009
(resigned)
Gyurcsány II
MSZPSZDSZ[1]
5 (2006)
style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|41 Gordon Bajnai 14 April 2009 29 May 2010 Independent Bajnai
MSZP[2]
style="background:Template:Fidesz/meta/color; color:white"|(38) Viktor Orbán 29 May 2010 Incumbent Fidesz Orbán II
FideszKDNP
6 (2010)

1 SZDSZ left the Gyurcsány II Cabinet on 20 April 2008 and supported it externally.

2 The Bajnai Cabinet was supported externally by SZDSZ.

Local elections

Elections for mayors and municipalities (Hungarian: Helyi önkormányzati választások) occur every four years in the autumn following the general elections. On the local elections, the following are elected:

in Budapest

  • lord mayor of Budapest
  • mayor of the districts of Budapest
  • members of the city Council of Budapest
  • members of the district Council


in the counties:

  • mayor of the cities, towns, villages
  • members of the county Council
  • members of the city/town/village Council

The chairman of the county council is elected by the members of the council, unlike the lord mayor of Budapest, which is elected directly.

Latest local elections

The last but one election of local authorities took place in 2006 amidst the protests and demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány.

Presidential elections

The President of Hungary, who has a largely ceremonial role under the country's constitution, is elected by the members of the National Assembly to serve for a term of five years (maximum two times), and has to quit their political party (if they have one) in order to be impartial and able to express the unity of the nation (so the "Political Party" column refers to their party membership, prior to becoming president).

Presidents of Hungary:

# Picture Name From Until Political party Notes
File:Szuros matyas.jpg Mátyás Szűrös 18 October 1989 2 May 1990 Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) interim president

(until the formation of the first freely elected National Assembly)

style="background-color:Template:Alliance of Free Democrats/meta/color; color:white" | 1 File:Goncz arpad.jpg Árpád Göncz 2 May 1990 4 August 2000 Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) president of the republic
2 Ferenc Mádl 4 August 2000 5 August 2005 Non-partisan president of the republic
3 László Sólyom 5 August 2005 6 August 2010 Non-partisan president of the republic
style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color; color:white" | 4 Pál Schmitt 6 August 2010 2 April 2012
(resigned)
Fidesz president of the republic
style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color; color:white" | László Kövér 2 April 2012 10 May 2012 Fidesz acting president
style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color; color:white" | 5 János Áder 10 May 2012 Incumbent Fidesz president of the republic

Parties   Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP)   Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ)   Fidesz

The non-partisan Ferenc Mádl had been elected by the Fidesz-FKgp-MDF government in 2000, while the also non-partisan László Sólyom (former President of the Constitutional Court) had been elected president as the opposition Fidesz's and MDF's candidate in 2005. The minor party of the coalition government (SZDSZ) did not support the superior coalition government party's (MSZP) candidate, therefore Mr. Sólyom could win as an opposition candidate.

European Parliament elections

Since the EU expansion to Romania and Bulgaria, Hungary delegates 22 members to the European Parliament based on the Nice treaty. Any EU citizens with residence in Hungary have the right to vote for a party-list. In case of the EU elections there are no constituency votes.

The latest EP election in Hungary took place on 7 June, 2009, which was the second one at all, after the 2004 EP election, which took place on 13 June, 2004, bit more than a month after the EU expansion to 10 Eastern European countries.

Results:

e • d Summary of the 2004 and 2009 European Parliament elections
Parties Votes 2004 % 2004 Seats 2004 Votes 2009 % 2009 Seats 2009 Difference
National Party European party
Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Union (Fidesz)[1] EPP 1,457,750 47.40 12 1,632,309 56,36 14 +2
File:Insignia Hungary Political Party MSZP.svg Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) PES 1,054,921 34.30 9 503,140 17,37 4 -5
File:Insignia Hungary Political Party Jobbik.svg Jobbik none did not run - - 427,773 14,77 3 +3
File:Insignia Hungary Political Party MDF.svg Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) ECR 164,025 5.33 1 153,660 5.31 1 0
Politics Can Be Different (LMP)[2] none did not exist - - 75,522 2.61 0 -
Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) ELDR 237,908 7.74 2 62,527 2.16 0 -2
Hungarian Communist Workers' Party (Munkáspárt) none[3] 56,221 1.83 0 27,817 0.96 0 0
Gypsy Alliance Party (MCF) none did not run - - 13,431 0.46 0 -
Total (turnout 36,31%)[4] 3,075,450 100.0 24 2,896,179 100.0 22
Source: Valasztas.hu

See also

References

  1. ^ Common list with the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) in the 2009 election
  2. ^ Common list with the Humanist Party (HP)
  3. ^ The Hungarian Communist Workers' Party left the European Left in May
  4. ^ In the previous election in 2004 turnout was 38.5%