The Government and Politics of Hungary.

1. By: Benedict Gombocz

2. Government of Hungary
 Government (Kormány):
Parliamentary republic and
multi-party democracy
 President (Köztársasági
elnök): János Áder (Fidesz)
 Prime Minister
(Miniszterelnök): Viktor
Orbán (Fidesz)
 Speaker of the National
Assembly (Országgyűlés
elnök): László Kövér (Fidesz)

3. Parliament represented parties
 Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union
(Fidesz – Magyar Polgári
Szövetség, FIDESZ)
 Hungarian Socialist Party (Magyar
Szocialista Párt, MSZP)
 Jobbik – Movement for a Better
Hungary (Jobbik - Magyarországért
Mozgalom, JOBBIK)
 Christian Democratic People’s
Party (Kereszténydemokrata
Néppárt, KDNP)*
 Politics Can Be Different (Lehet
Más a Politika, LMP)
 *In coalition with Fidesz.

4. Minor parties
 Hungarian Democratic Forum* (Magyar Demokrata Fórum, MDF)
 Alliance of Free Democrats* (Szabad Demokraták Szövetsége, SZDSZ)
 Free People for Hungary (Szabad Emberek Magyarországért, SZEM)
 Humanist Party (Humanista Párt, HP)
 Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party (Magyar Kommunista Munkáspárt,
MKMP)
 Hungarian Justice and Life Party* (Magyar Igazság és Élet Pártja, MIÉP)
 Hungarian Social Democratic Party (Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt,
MSZDP)
 Hungarian Social Green Party (Magyar Szociális Zöld Párt, MSZZP)
 Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party (Független
Kisgazda, Földmunkás és Polgári Párt, FKFMPP)
 National Democratic Party (Nemzeti Demokrata Párt, NDP)
 Social Democratic Party (Szociáldemokrata Párt, SZDP)
 Workers’ Party of Hungary 2006 (Magyarországi Munkáspárt 2006, MMP 2006)
 *Dissolved party

5. Past parties
 Arrow Cross Party (Nyilaskeresztes Párt, NKP)
 Civic Freedom Party (Polgári Szabadságpárt, PSZP ) (interbellum)
 Hungarian Communist Party (Magyar Kommunista Párt, MKP)
 Hungarian Democratic People’s Party (Magyar Demokrata Néppárt,
MDNP; merged into Hungarian Democratic Forum in 2005)
 Hungarian National Socialist Party (Nemzeti Szociálista Magyar
Munkás Párt - NSZMMP, literally “National Socialist Hungarian
Workers’ Party)
 Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party (Magyar Szocialista Munkáspárt,
MSzMP)
 Hungarian Working People’s Party (Magyar Dolgozók Pártja, MDP)

6. Years of Hungarian parliamentary elections
and the winning party
 1990: MDF
 1994: MSZP (in coalition with SZDSZ)
 1998: Fidesz (in coalition with MDF and MIÉP)
 2002: MSZP (in coalition with SZDSZ)
 2006: MSZP (in coalition with SZDSZ)
 2010: Fidesz (in coalition with KDNP)

7. Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union
 Founded on 30 March 1988 as
FIDESZ (FIatal DEmokraták
SZövetsége, Alliance of Young
Democrats), as youthful
libertarian, anti-communist party.
 Major centre-right, right-wing
conservative political party.
 Won two-thirds majority of seats
in 2010 general election (in
coalition with Christian
Democratic People’s Party) by
acquiring 52% of votes, winning
Fidesz 227 seats and KDNP 36.
 Member of European People’s
Party (EPP).

8. Hungarian Socialist Party
 Centre-left political party.
 Describes itself as a “social democratic”
party.
 Founded on 9 October 1989, as descendant
of Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party.
 Partial successor of the Hungarian Socialist
Workers’ Party (Magyar Szocialista
Munkáspárt, MSZMP), the party which
ruled Hungary from 1956-1989.
 Decision to declare MSZP as heir to
MSZMP was controversial; still carries
reverberations both for MSZP and Hungary.
 Another root of controversy is that some
members of ex-communist group retained
political effect in MSZP, a fact which
remains true.

9. Jobbik – Movement for a Better
Hungary
 Radical nationalist, far-right political party.
 Founded on 24 October 2003.
 Has been designated by scholars, various
press outlets and political opponents as
fascist, neo-fascist, anti-Semitic, anti-Roma
and homophobic, although the party has
subsequently denied these allegations as
being either politically motivated or simply
untrue.
 Depicts itself as “a principled, conservative
and radically patriotic Christian party”,
whose “fundamental purpose” was
protection of “Hungarian values and
interests.”
 Weighed according to its representation in
European Parliament and National
Assembly, it is Hungary’s third biggest
party.

10. Christian Democratic People’s Party
 Christian democratic and conservative
political party.
 Founded in 1944 and re-founded in 1989
with present name.
 Link between historical party and present
one is debated, although key members of
original party, such as László Varga,
participated in its re-foundation.
 Part of Parliament from 1990-1998.
 Has been closely associated with
conservative party Fidesz, from 1998;
Fidesz and KDNP signed agreement, in
2005, for election cooperation, which
ascended seats in National Assembly to
KDNP, and subsequently acquired strength
in 2006 general election, in which it
obtained 42.0% of list votes and 164 out of
386 representatives in National Assembly.

11. Politics Can Be Different
 Green liberal political party.
 Founded on 26 February 2009.
 Was preceded by non-governmental
organization social enterprise founded in
2008, with intention of reforming
Hungarian politics.
 Has common ideologies with other green
parties.
 Among key party issues are environmental
protection, sustainable development and
the fight against corruption in the current
political elite.
 Emphasizes what they believe to be
pointlessness of current partisan partition
between left and right-wing forces; their
basis is deliberative democracy, which they
believe lowers distance between people and
political elite.

12. Viktor Orbán
 Chairman of Fidesz – Hungarian Civic
Union and current PM of Hungary since
29 May 2010; is a founding member of
Fidesz.
 Also served as PM from 1998-2002.
 Born on 31 May 1963 in Székesfehérvár;
spent childhood in two villages nearby:
Alcsútdoboz and Felcsút.
 Graduated from secondary school, where
he learned English language, in 1981;
completed military service in ensuing
two years,
 Majored in law at Eötvös Loránd
University in Budapest; lived in
Szolnok, after graduating from that
institute in 1987, traveling to Budapest
where he got a job as sociologist at
Management Training Institute of
Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

13. Attila Mesterházy
 Chairman of Hungarian Socialist Party
(MSZP) since 10 July 2010.
 Was MSZP’s candidate for post of PM of
Hungary in 2010 general election.
 Born on 30 January 1974 in Pécs.
 Went to secondary school in Veszprém
(Lovassy László Gimnázium) between
1988 and 1992.
 Majored in economics at Corvinus
University in Budapest between 1992 and
1997, earning Ph.D. in 1999.
 Was Fellow at University of Valladolid in
Spanish in 1995 and 1996, Diplomatic
Academy of Vienna (Vienna School of
International Studies) between 1996 and
1998 and University of Groningen in
Dutch in 1997.
 Acquired Ph.D. from University of
Semmelweis, in 2005, in Budapest.

14. Gábor Vona
 Chairman of nationalist political party
Jobbik – Movement for a Better Hungary.
 Born Gábor Zázriveczon on 20 August
1978 in Gyöngyös.
 Studied history and psychology at the
Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest.
 Became party chairman in 2006.
 Repeatedly called for change of
government throughout 2009 and for
Hungary’s ruling politicians (referring
to, among others, Gordon Bajnai and
Ferenc Gyurcsány) to be “held
accountable”.
 Believes in strengthening the national
police and founded the nationalist
Magyar Gárda (Hungarian Guard) in
2007; the Magyar Gárda was
subsequently banned in 2009 for openly
violating human rights of minorities.

15. Zsolt Semjén
 Current minister without portfolio and Deputy
PM of Hungary, in second cabinet of PM
Viktor Orbán.
 Born on 8 August 1962 in Budapest.
 Leader of Christian Democratic People’s Party
(KDNP) since 2003, which formed coalition
and alliance with Fidesz; was among founders
of KDNP during political transition of 1989.
 Worked in first half of 1980s in industrial
companies after completing high school.
 Trained in theology at Pázmány Péter Catholic
University, and graduated with degree in
sociology in 1992; subsequently attended
Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest,
professionally tied with Budapest universities.
 Earned his doctorate in theology in second
half of 1990s, taking position as professor of
Eötvös Loránd University.

16. Benedek Jávor
 Leading member of Politics Can Be
Different (LMP).
 Born on 2 July 1972 in Budapest.
 Graduated in biology from Eötvös Loránd
University in 1997 (M.Sc.); received Ph.D.
at same university in 2006.
 Has served as assistant professor at
department of environmental law at
Pázmány Péter Catholic University.
 Was a founding member of environmental
NGO Védegylet (Protect the Future!).
 Was also a founding member and one of
the spokespeople of Politics Can Be
Different in 2009; subsequently won a seat
in National Assembly during 2010 general
election.
 Was nominated to be leader of LMP
parliamentary group on 29 January 2012,
after resignation of András Schiffer.

17. Fidesz campaign poster

18. MSZP campaign poster

19. Jobbik campaign poster

20. LMP campaign poster

21. Csak a Fidesz! (Only Fidesz!)
 Nyilvánvaló az igazi
valasz: Fidesz! (The right
choice is obvious: Fidesz!)

22. Results of 2010 parliamentary election

23. Results of first round: 11 April 2010
 Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union: 52.73%
 Hungarian Socialist Party: 19.3%
 Jobbik – Movement for a Better Hungary: 16.67%
 Politics Can Be Different: 7.47%
 Hungarian Democratic Forum: 2.67%
 Civil Movement: 0.89%
 Hungarian Communist Workers’ Party: 0.11%
 Hungarian Social Democratic Party: 2.67%

24. Results of second round: 25 April 2010
 Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union: 52.73%
 Hungarian Socialist Party: 19.30%
 Jobbik – Movement for a Better Hungary: 16.67%
 Politics Can Be Different: 7.48%

25. VÉGE (THE END)
 Hajra Fidesz! Hajra
Magyarország! Hajra
Magyarok!