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Hungary Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Hungary
Official Name: Republic of Hungary
Capital: Budapest
Area: 93,030 square kilometres ( 35,919 square miles )
Major cities (Population)
Budapest 2,017,000 (1995 estimate)
Debrecen 215,032 (1991 estimate)
Miskolc 193,194 (1991 estimate)
Szeged 187,800 (1988 estimate)
Pécs 169,486 (1993 estimate)
Population: 10,115,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: -0.5 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Republic
Independence: 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
Constitution
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision guaranteed individuals legal rights and constitutional checks on the power of the prime minister, and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight.
Voting Rights: Universal at age 18
Government
The 386-member Országgyűlés (National Assembly) is elected for a four-year term and holds ultimate political power in Hungary. It elects the president, who is head of state, and appoints the prime minister, who is head of government. The voting age is 18. Hungary has 19 counties and 6 cities that rank as counties.
Recent History
In the treaty settlements following World War I, Hungary became an independent republic, but lost much of its former territory to its neighbours; the position of Hungarian minorities in the seceded areas continues to sour regional relations. In 1944, following Germany’s invasion, Hungary fought as a German ally. After occupation by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and an armistice, free elections in 1945 again established a republic. In the 1947 elections the Communists emerged as the majority party. By 1949 all opposition parties had been eliminated and Hungary was declared the People's Republic of Hungary.
After Stalin died in 1953, the new Soviet leadership installed Imre Nagy as head of Hungary’s government in place of the dictatorial Mátyás Rákosi. Nagy instituted reforms, but was deposed in 1955 by Rákosi, who in turn was replaced by Ernö Gerö in 1956, following Soviet president Khrushchev’s denunciation of Stalin. In October of that year the Hungarian Communist Party insisted on running the country free from interference from the USSR. After mass demonstrations, Nagy was reinstated as prime minister, whereupon he announced the introduction of multi-party democracy and Hungary’s neutrality. The anti-Moscow revolt was promptly crushed by a massive Soviet offensive. Nagy was executed and János Kádár was installed as head of government. In 1961, however, Kádár started to distance Hungary once again from orthodox communism.
Market-oriented reforms were gradually introduced, and when communism collapsed at the end of the 1980s Hungary had a head start on its East European neighbours in the move to a fully fledged market-based economy. The country was renamed the Republic of Hungary, and Nagy was reburied as a national hero. In 1990 free elections were held, and József Antall became the new prime minister. During 1990 six elections completed Hungary’s political transformation. Antall died in 1993 and was replaced briefly by Péter Boross. In the May 1994 elections, disillusionment with the effects of the reform process contributed to the defeat of the Hungarian Democratic Forum (which had swept the Communists from power in 1990) by the Hungarian Socialist party (made up of former Communists). Gyula Horn, who had been foreign minister before 1990, became prime minister. He promised to continue market reforms but also to place more emphasis on meeting the people’s basic needs.
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