(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The new governing party in Hungary begins its tenure with overwhelming popularity, but amidst growing concerns that the country may be the next one to be affected by a severe financial crisis.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The new governing party in Hungary begins its tenure with overwhelming popularity, but amidst growing concerns that the country may be the next one to be affected by a severe financial crisis.
A poll conducted in May 2010 finds the Hungarian Citizens Party (Fidesz) with the support of 68 per cent of decided voters—well ahead of the other parties represented in the National Assembly. The Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) is a distant second with 15 per cent, followed by the far-right Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) with 14 per cent, and the environmentalist Politics Can Be Different (LMP) with three per cent.
The outcome of this year’s legislative election in Hungary was never in doubt. The Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) had fallen out of favour with the population in September 2006, when then Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany was caught on tape acknowledging that his government had "lied throughout the past one and a half or two years" about the state of the country’s economy. The public outcry led to a surge in support for Fidesz, which never halted.
Hungary’s electoral system calls for a first round in legislative elections, where a shortlist of all the candidates who receive more than 15 per cent of the vote is created. In the second round, the actual winner is chosen from these candidates. For the first round to be valid, more than 50 per cent of registered voters must take part. In the second round, the threshold is reduced to 25 per cent.
The first round of the election—held on Apr. 11—placed Fidesz with 206 overall seats. Before the second round took place, a majority of Hungarians had voiced support for the party to control two-thirds of the National Assembly. Their wish came true on Apr. 25, when Fidesz reached the 262-seat plateau.
While Fidesz currently has no rival in the political arena, the government may see its support erode on account of its handling of the economy. Hungary was supposed to adopt the euro in 2014, but recent setbacks may push the adoption date further. Fidesz vice-chairman Lajos Kosa recently acknowledged that the country’s financial standing is "much worse" than expected, and government spokesman Peter Szijjarto accused the previous government of "falsifying data."
