Election in Hungary

Description of election in Hungary ........

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. European Parliament elections are also held every 5 years.

The last National Assembly) elected according to the old system was elected in 2010 and is working until 2014. The National Assembly 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 thres hold 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. is 10%, in case of three or more parties: 15%.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 party-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.

The electoral laws were changed in 2012. The first elections to be hold according to the new system will be organized in 2014. The 2014 elections will be held on the 6th of April. The following significant changes have been issued in the electoral system.

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, so the number of seats is 51.6% of the original)106 constituency seats (decreased from 176, increased from 45.6% to 53.3% of all seats)93 party-list seats, including minority-list seats (decreased from the 210 regional- and national list seats which were merged, decreased from 54.4% to 46.7% of all seats) 5% threshold still exists in case of party-list, and 10% in case of two parties' joint list, 15% in case of three or more parties' joint list.

Minorities will be able to set a minority-list, on the elections they only need to reach the 5% threshold out of all minority votes, and not out of all party-list votes, which - practically - makes it possible to send only few minority representatives (maybe only one) to the National Assembly (for about 1% of all votes, minorities can send MPs to the National Assembly)

Minorities, that will not reach the 5% threshold (out of all minority-list votes, not out of all votes) or will not get at least one seat, will be able to send a minority spokesman to the National Assembly 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 party- and minority-lists (while the 5% of the minority votes is expected much less than 1% of the total votes as there are much less than 20% minority voters).

    
Population (as of July 1, 2012)=9,958,453
Registered Voters (as of )   

Elections in our database=14
   
Average Turnout=68.45%
Election For                Date            Votes        Registered Voters    Turn Out
National Assembly     2014-04-06     -                    -                     -
President                     2012-05-02     307                386               79.53%
President                     2010-07-07     366                386               94.82%
National Assembly     2010-04-25     2,486,111      8,034,394     30.94%
National Assembly     2010-04-11     10,247,101    8,034,394     127.54%
National Assembly     2006-04-23     -                    8,048,739     -
National Assembly     2006-04-09     -                    8,046,129     -
President                     2005-06-07     -                    386               -
President                     2005-06-06     -                    386               -
Referendum                2004-12-05     3,009,262     8,046,742     37.4%
Referendum                2003-04-12     3,666,715     8,042,272     45.59%
National Assembly     2002-04-21     4,423,806     6,018,069     73.51%
National Assembly     2002-04-07     5,685,655     8,061,101     70.53%
National Assembly     1998-05-10     4,532,443     8,063,631     56.21%