General Information

2023. október 24. (kedd)

The current Hungarian electoral system dates back to the change of regime around 1990. It was then that two types of electoral bodies were established in Hungary: the office and the commission. The two bodies operate continuously, with the offices acting as secretariat for the commissions. The main tasks of the offices are to organise the administration of elections, to conduct elections and to deal with voters' electoral affairs and provide them with information. The offices keep a register of voters, from which the electoral roll is drawn up. Its members are in all cases officials.

The election commissions are responsible for supervising the election procedure, guaranteeing the fairness and legality of the election, enforcing impartiality, and registering candidates and nominating bodies. They also decide on applications for legal remedies, campaign activities and the content of the ballot paper and determine the results of the election. They operate with two different statuses, elected and delegated members, who have the same rights and obligations as elected members.

The following types of elections are distinguished in Hungary:

1. Election of Members of Parliament

2. Election of members of the European Parliament

3. Election of local government representatives (mayor, body of representatives)

4. Election of members of national minority municipalities

5. National referendums

6. Local referendums

Hungary's Fundamental Law provides for the holding of general elections. Voters shall vote by direct and secret ballot on the basis of universal and equal suffrage, in an election ensuring the free expression of the will of the voters. Online voting is not available in Hungary, but voters can submit applications electronically for various election related purposes e.g.

- registration and removal from the register,

- applying for a mobile ballot-box,

- absentee voting,

- registration in the register of foreign representations,

- application for an accessible polling station,

- requesting a Braille notice and a ballot paper,

- prohibiting the release of personal data for campaign purposes,

-declaration of nationality.

  • The election of Members of Parliament in Hungary is based on a mixed electoral system. Parliament consists of 199 members, 106 of whom are elected by a relative majority in single-member constituencies and 93 by list vote. In list voting, you can vote for a party list or a nationality list.

    Under the Fundamental Law, general elections of Members of Parliament must be held in April or May of the fourth year following the election of the previous Parliament. The election is a single round.

    Only Hungarian citizens have the right to vote. Voters residing in Hungary are automatically entered on the electoral roll and can vote for a list and for an individual representative. Voters can cast their vote in person at the polling station of their place of residence, but they can also vote in a municipality other than their place of residence or at a representation abroad. Voters who do not have a Hungarian address may vote by post only on a party list, after prior registration.

    At least five hundred voters must be nominated in a single mandate constituency. The candidate who receives the most votes will be elected.

    A party list may be set up by a party which has put forward an independent candidate in at least seventy-one single mandate constituencies in at least fourteen counties and the capital. Nationality lists can only be drawn up by a national nationality self-government. A party list which has not obtained at least five per cent of the total number of valid votes cast for party lists and nationality lists may not obtain a seat. A nationality list may obtain a preferential mandate. The seats that can be obtained from national lists are allocated according to the d'Hondt method.

    The single-member constituencies of Hungary are listed in the Annex to Act CCIII of 2011 on the Election of Members of Parliament.

    Key legislation:

    - Fundamental Law

    - Act CCIII of 2011 on the Election of Members of Parliament.

    - Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure.

  • According to the Fundamental Law, the general election of mayors and municipal representatives must be held at the same time as the election of members of the European Parliament. The elections are single-round elections.

    The regulation of local elections is complex. Separate rules apply to municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants and to municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, with separate rules for cities with county status and the capital. In all municipalities, voters elect a mayor, in Budapest a mayor-general, and (regional) representatives to the county assembly.

    Active suffrage

    The following may vote in elections for local government representatives

    - Hungarian citizens of full age residing in Hungary

    - an adult citizen of another Member State of the European Union residing in Hungary,

    - an adult person recognised as a refugee, immigrant or settled person in Hungary.

    Voters are automatically entered on the electoral roll. All voters will receive a notification before the vote about the date, place and other information about voting.

    The right to stand as candiate:

    The following may stand as a candidate in the election of local councillors

    - Hungarian citizens of legal age,

    - an adult citizen of another Member State of the European Union residing in Hungary.

    The candidate can be an independent candidate, a party candidate or an association candidate.

    The electoral system

    Local elections are governed by complex rules. There are separate rules for smaller municipalities with fewer than 10 000 inhabitants and for those with more than 10 000 inhabitants, with separate rules for cities with county status and the capital.

    Mayors and municipal representatives are elected in all municipalities and metropolitan districts, while in Budapest the Mayor and members of the Metropolitan Assembly and representatives in county assemblies are elected.

    o Municipalities with 10 000 inhabitants or less

    • Cities, larger villages

    - Council of Representatives:

    Members are elected by block vote, the whole municipality forming one constituency. The number of representatives to be elected is determined by Act L of 2010 on the election of local government representatives and mayors (2, 4, 6 or 8). The candidates who receive the most votes are elected.

    - Mayor:

    The candidate who receives the most votes (first-past-the-post) becomes mayor.

    - In addition to the above, voters can also vote for the county assembly lists. Candidates on the county list are elected in proportion to the votes cast.

    o Municipalities with more than 10 000 inhabitants:

    • Cities, larger villages

    - Representatives:

    The number of representatives in municipalities is determined by Act L of 2010 on the election of local government representatives and mayors. The constituency of the individual representative is established by the local notary. The election is a mixed system: in single mandate constituencies (not the same as in parliamentary single mandate constituencies), the candidate who receives the most votes is elected, and candidates from the list are elected in proportion to the votes cast.

    - Mayor:

    The candidate who receives the highest number of votes becomes mayor.

    - County (regional) assembly:

    The candidates from the county lists will be elected in proportion to the votes cast.

    • City with county status (25)

    - Representatives:

    The number of representatives in the municipality is determined by Act L of 2010 on the election of local government representatives and mayors. The constituency of the individual representative is established by the local notary. The election is a mixed system, with the candidate who receives the highest number of votes in an individual constituency (not the same as the parliamentary constituency) and the representatives on a list in proportion to the votes cast.

    - Mayor:

    The candidate who receives the highest number of votes becomes mayor.

    - County (regional) assembly:

    The population of a city with county rights does not vote for the county assembly!

    • Metropolitan district-Budapest

    - Representatives:

    - Mayor:

    The candidate who receives the most votes will be mayor of the capital district.

    - Lord Mayor:

    The whole area of the capital city forms one constituency. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes will become Lord Mayor.

    - Members of the Metropolitan Assembly:

    o the elected Lord Mayor,

    o the elected mayor of the 23 districts,

    o 9 additional members from the compensation list of the capital.

    The metropolitan compensatory lists are elected in proportion to the votes cast for the candidates for mayor who did not win a mandate, nominated by the nominating organisations.

    - County (regional) assemblies:

    Voters in the capital do not vote for the county assembly!

    Key legislation:

    - Fundamental Law

    - Act L of 2010 on the Election of Local Government Representatives and Mayors

    - Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure

  • There are 13 recognised nationalities in Hungary, namely Bulgarian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Croatian, German, Greek, Armenian, Polish, Romanian, Romanian, Ruthenian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovene, Ukrainian and Armenian.

    All Hungarian citizens of legal age who have the right to vote in the general election of local government representatives may vote as ethnic voters in the general election of ethnic representatives, provided that they have voluntarily registered as ethnic voters in the register of their nationality before the election. Anyone entered in the register of nationalities may be elected.

    Registration in the national register is made on application, which is assessed by the competent local election office. A person may be entered on only one nationality register at a time. A candidate or list may be proposed by anyone who is entered in the national register.

    A nominating organisation for the election of members of the national minority self-government may only be an association whose statutes - at least three years prior to the year of the election of the national minority self-government - state that its purpose is to represent a specifically designated nationality.

    The National Election Commission shall set the date for the general election of representatives of national minority self-government on the day of the general election of local government representatives and mayors.

    At the polls, voters elect municipal, regional and national representatives of their nationality, depending on the elections called.

    Voters may vote in the settlement in which they are entered in the register of national minorities. The polling station commission shall give the voter who is registered as a national minority voter the municipal, regional or national ballot paper of his/her nationality.

    Candidates who receive the highest number of votes in the election according to the number of representatives eligible for election shall be elected as representatives of the municipal national minority self-government.

    The candidates on the regional and national lists will win seats in proportion to the votes cast for them. Candidates on a list whose list has not received at least five per cent of the valid votes cast in the constituency shall not be elected.

    Key legislation:

    - Fundamental Law

    - Act CLXXIX of 2011 on the Rights of Nationalities.

    - Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure.

  • Active suffrage

    the following may vote in the election of MEPs

    - Hungarian citizens of legal age residing in Hungary

    - Hungarian citizens of legal age residing abroad, outside the territory of the European Union, if they request to be entered on the register

    - adult citizens of other Member States of the European Union residing in Hungary, if they apply to be entered on the electoral roll

    For more information on how to apply for registration: https://www.valasztas.hu/mas-eu-tagallam-polgarainak-nevjegyzekbe-vetele

    Voters residing in Hungary can vote at the polling station of their place of residence, or they can apply to change their registration to any municipality in the country. On polling day, voters residing abroad and having a Hungarian address may vote at embassies. Voters who are not resident in Hungary may vote by post if they are not resident in another EU country and register to vote.

    The right to stand as candidate

    To stand as a candidate in the election of MEPs the following is required:

    - Hungarian citizens of legal age,

    - an adult citizen of another Member State of the European Union residing in Hungary.

    The candidate may stand as a party candidate on a party list.

    The electoral system

    Hungary has a total of 21 seats in the European Parliament. Elections are single-round, with the whole country forming one constituency. The party that has collected at least 20,000 valid nominations to stand can put forward a list. A party list that has not obtained at least five percent of the total number of valid votes cast on party lists cannot win a seat. Seats are allocated according to the so-called d'Hondt method.

    Key legislation:

    - Fundamental Law

    - Act CXIII of 2003 on the election of the members of the European Parliament

    - Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure

  • Everyone who has the right to vote in the election of Members of Parliament has the right to participate in a national referendum.

    The National Assembly shall order a national referendum on the initiative of at least 200,000 voters. The National Assembly may order a national referendum on the initiative of the President of the Republic, the Government or 100,000 voters. The decision of a valid and successful referendum shall be binding on Parliament.

    The subject of a national referendum may be a question falling within the duties and powers of Parliament.

    The Fundamental Law regulates the subjects on which a national referendum may not be held.

    A national referendum is valid if more than half of all voters cast a valid vote, and it is conclusive if more than half of the voters who cast a valid vote gave the same answer to the question.

    Key legislation:

    - Fundamental Law

    - Act CCXXXVIII of 2013 on the initiative of the referendum, the European citizens' initiative and the referendum procedure

    - Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure.

  • Everyone who has the right to vote in the election of local government representatives and mayors has the right to participate in a local referendum.

    The representative body of a local government may order a local referendum on a matter within the competence of the representative body.

    The body of representatives is obliged to order a local referendum if it has been initiated by a number of voters specified in its decree.

    Key legislation:

    - Fundamental Law

    - Act CCXXXVIII of 2013 on the Initiative of Referendum, the European Citizens' Initiative and the Referendum Procedure

    - Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure

    Assistance for people with disabilities (on request only!):

    - Braille notifications,

    - sending information material in Braille (Braille),

    - Use of a Braille ballot template at the polling station and during ballot box voting,

    - use of an accessible polling station

    For further information on the elections, please contact international[at]nvi.hu.