2010 Hungarian parliamentary election

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2010 Hungarian parliamentary election
Flag of Hungary.svg
←  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 partySecond party
  Orban Viktor Portrait 2010.jpg Mesterhazy Attila 2009-12-14.JPG
Leader Viktor Orbán Attila Mesterházy
Party Fidesz–KDNP MSZP
Leader since17 May 200312 December 2009 [lower-alpha 1]
Last election164 seats, 42.03%192 seats, 43.21%
Seats won
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 99Decrease2.svg 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 vote2,706,292990,428
 % and swing52.73% Increase2.svg10.70 pp 19.30% Decrease2.svg23.91 pp
 Third partyFourth party
  Vona Gabor.jpg Schiffer Andras (VEHIR) (cropped).jpg
Leader Gábor Vona András Schiffer
Party Jobbik LMP
Leader since25 November 20062009
Last election0 seats, 2.20%Did not exist
Seats won
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 47New party
1R vote and %835,841 (16.4%)258,078 (5.1%)
2R vote and %141,415 (12.3%)43,437 (3.8%)
Party vote855,436383,876
 % and swing16.67% Increase2.svg14.47 pp 7.48% New
2010 Hungarian parliamentary election - Vote Strength.svg
Results of the election. A darker shade indicates a higher vote share. Proportional list results are displayed in the top left.
Prime Minister before election

Gordon Bajnai
MSZP

Prime Minister after election

Viktor Orbán
Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union

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.

Contents

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)
AgencyDate Fidesz MSZP Jobbik MDF LMP SZDSZ KDNP Other
Medián [6] 25 November 2009661910211n/a1
Tárki [7] 25 November 20096817111112n/a
Századvég-Forsense [8] 26 November 2009592012331n/a3
Tárki [9] 16 December 2009631912131n/an/a
Századvég-Forsense [10] 21 December 200964179320n/a4
Medián [11] 25 December 200961239211n/a3
Szonda Ipsos [12] 17 January 20106321122n/a101
Forsense [13] 21 January 201059171553n/an/an/a
Medián [14] 21 January 2010651910310n/a2
Századvég-Kód [15] 26 January 20105923104211n/a
Tárki [16] 27 January 2010622211311n/an/a
Szonda Ipsos [17] 12 February 201058221421103
Századvég-Kód [18] 18 February 2010582310531--
Forsense [19] 22 February 2010591814250n/a1
Medián [20] 24 February 201063181521n/an/a1
Tárki [21] 3 March 201061221123n/an/a1
Szonda Ipsos [22] 11 March 201057201713101
Nézőpont Intézet [23] 14 March 201053121222n/an/a0
Medián [24] 17 March 201057211812n/an/a1
Szonda Ipsos [25] 18 March 201064121335n/an/a3
Gallup [26] 25 March 201067151414n/an/a0
Századvég-Kód [27] 29 March 201059161733n/an/an/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) Magyarorszagi valasztas 2010 gyoztes egyeni jeloltek elso fordulo.png
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) ## = Somogyert Szovetseg (1) ## = Fidesz-KDNP (1) ## = independent candidate (2) Magyarorszagi valasztas 2010 masodik helyezett egyeni jeloltek partallasa.png
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)
Hungarian parliamentary election, 2010.svg
PartyProportionalSMCs (first round)SMCs (second round)Seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsNationalTotal+/–
Fidesz–KDNP 2,706,29252.73872,732,96553.43119620,23253.81533262+99
Hungarian Socialist Party 990,42819.30281,088,37421.280326,36128.3122959–131
Jobbik 855,43616.6726836,77416.360141,41512.2702147+47
Politics Can Be Different 383,8767.485259,2205.07043,4373.7701116+16
Hungarian Democratic Forum 136,8952.67072,7681.42000–11
Civil Movement 45,8630.89034,9380.68000New
Hungarian Workers' Party 5,6060.1105,6680.110000
Social Democratic Party of Hungary 4,1170.0803,1560.06000New
Unity Party 2,7320.0503,4220.07000New
Hungarian Justice and Life Party 1,2860.0302,3450.050000
Hungarian Democratic Forum–Alliance of Free Democrats 12,6520.25000–
Fidesz–KDNP–Entrepreneurs' Party 10,6610.2108,7960.76101–
Association for Somogy 7,4700.15000–1
Hungarian Democratic Forum–Összefogás Megyénkért4,0520.08000–
Torgyán-Kisgazda-Koalíció3,0790.06000New
Green Left 1,4250.03000New
Magyarok Egymásért Szövetsége1,0270.02000New
Forum of Hungarian Gypsy Organizations Roma Co-operation Party4910.010000
Independent Smallholders Party 3810.010000
Independents33,7020.66012,4521.081–1+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 60.4514.6215.705.582.231.43
Baranya 54.5321.0712.688.902.83–
Békés 53.2018.4519.215.212.051.89
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén 45.8718.9027.204.201.841.98
Budapest 46.3225.3310.8412.814.70–
Csongrád 50.7220.3815.937.662.572.75
Fejér 54.1617.9116.206.962.692.07
Győr-Moson-Sopron 59.6816.8712.576.322.951.60
Hajdú-Bihar 57.9214.0418.865.052.341.78
Heves 45.7821.0224.976.042.19–
Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok 49.4217.8824.015.652.130.91
Komárom-Esztergom 51.3123.3913.768.373.17–
Nógrád 51.8420.3920.825.57–1.37
Pest 52.9017.5816.528.352.751.89
Somogy 59.6319.7414.236.39––
Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg 53.8414.8423.642.861.813.01
Tolna 58.6817.8815.445.452.54–
Vas 62.7716.9612.096.37–1.81
Veszprém 56.7918.8114.667.152.59–
Zala 57.2116.8516.915.802.650.58
Total52.7319.3016.677.482.671.16

Turnout

All times are CEST.

Round 1 [39]
7:009:0011:0013:0015:0017:30Overall
1.61%10.23%24.78%35.88%46.78%59.28%64.36%
Round 2 [39]
7:009:0011:0013:0015:0017:30Overall
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]

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References

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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.
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