Hungarian presidential election, 2010
Encyclopedia
An indirect presidential election was held in Hungary
on 29 June 2010. The Prime Minister's nominee Pál Schmitt was elected by an overwhelming majority.
, Fidesz came out with an overwhelming majority of seats. With a two-thirds majority requirement needed to elect the president, Fidesz was expected to win since it already had the necessary numbers.
nominated university lecturer and Hungarian ambassador to Thailand
András Balogh
on 6 June 2010. Fidesz nominated speaker of parliament Pál Schmitt
on 23 June 2010. Jobbik intended to nominate Krisztina Morvai
, and Politics Can Be Different
wished to nominate incumbent President László Sólyom
, but neither had enough MPs to do so.
Once elected, the new president would take office on 5 August 2010.
However, polling suggested that should the election be a popular one, Schmitt would get 32 percent of the vote, outgoing President László Sólyom
would get 24 percent, Socialist Party nominee Andras Balogh would get 14 percent and Jobbik's Krisztina Morvai would get 6 percent. Twenty-four percent said they would not vote for any of the candidates or declined to answer the question.
, who had selected him.
The President of the European Parliament
Jerzy Buzek
welcomed the election of Schmitt.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
on 29 June 2010. The Prime Minister's nominee Pál Schmitt was elected by an overwhelming majority.
Background
Following the Hungarian parliamentary election, 2010Hungarian parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Hungary on 11 and 25 April 2010 to choose MPs for the National Assembly. They were the sixth free elections since the end of communist era. The 386 members of parliament were elected in a combined system of party lists and electoral constituencies...
, Fidesz came out with an overwhelming majority of seats. With a two-thirds majority requirement needed to elect the president, Fidesz was expected to win since it already had the necessary numbers.
Candidates
Nominations were due by midday of 25 June 2010; the Hungarian Socialist PartyHungarian Socialist Party
The Hungarian Socialist Party describes itself as a social democratic party in Hungary. It is the partial successor of the communist Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party , which ruled Hungary between 1956 and 1989. The decision to declare the party a successor of the MSZMP was controversial, and...
nominated university lecturer and Hungarian ambassador to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
András Balogh
András Balogh
András Balogh is a Hungarian historian and diplomat, the current ambassador to Thailand. His party, the Hungarian Socialist Party nominated him to the position of President of Hungary in 2010...
on 6 June 2010. Fidesz nominated speaker of parliament Pál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt
Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010....
on 23 June 2010. Jobbik intended to nominate Krisztina Morvai
Krisztina Morvai
Krisztina Morvai is a Hungarian lawyer. She was elected on the list of the political party Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom in the 2009 European Parliament elections. Although Morvai is not a member of Jobbik, the party already declared her as its future nominee for the position of the president...
, and Politics Can Be Different
Politics Can Be Different
Politics Can Be Different , abbreviated to LMP, is a Hungarian green liberal political party. Founded in 2009, it was one of four parties to win seats in the National Assembly in the 2010 parliamentary election.-History:...
wished to nominate incumbent President László Sólyom
László Sólyom
László Sólyom is a Hungarian political figure, lawyer, and librarian who was President of Hungary from 2005 to 2010. Previously he was President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary from 1990 to 1998....
, but neither had enough MPs to do so.
Once elected, the new president would take office on 5 August 2010.
Popular poll
Most Hungarians said they didn't think the President should be a member of any party. Forty-eight percent of respondents said that the president's independence from the government is among the most important considerations for the office, though 46 percent said it is also important that the president be able to work well with the prime minister.However, polling suggested that should the election be a popular one, Schmitt would get 32 percent of the vote, outgoing President László Sólyom
László Sólyom
László Sólyom is a Hungarian political figure, lawyer, and librarian who was President of Hungary from 2005 to 2010. Previously he was President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary from 1990 to 1998....
would get 24 percent, Socialist Party nominee Andras Balogh would get 14 percent and Jobbik's Krisztina Morvai would get 6 percent. Twenty-four percent said they would not vote for any of the candidates or declined to answer the question.
Results
| Candidate | Nominating Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pál Schmitt Pál Schmitt Pál Schmitt is the current President of Hungary. He was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the Parliament of Hungary and was sworn in on 2010.... |
Fidesz | 263 | 68.1 |
| András Balogh András Balogh András Balogh is a Hungarian historian and diplomat, the current ambassador to Thailand. His party, the Hungarian Socialist Party nominated him to the position of President of Hungary in 2010... |
Hungarian Socialist Party Hungarian Socialist Party The Hungarian Socialist Party describes itself as a social democratic party in Hungary. It is the partial successor of the communist Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party , which ruled Hungary between 1956 and 1989. The decision to declare the party a successor of the MSZMP was controversial, and... |
59 | 15.3 |
| Did not vote20 MPs opted for not registering and did not pick up their ballots | 20 | 5.2 | |
| Invalid votes44 empty ballots cast with neither candidate supported | 44 | 11.4 | |
| Total votes | 366 | 94.8 | |
| Total seats | 386 | 100.00 | |
Reactions
Several Fidesz MP's expressed concern over the electoral outcome saying that though Schmitt was "a charmer and very capable person," they didn't feel he was right for the job because any mistake he may make would reflect poorly on Prime Minister Viktor OrbánViktor Orbán
Viktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
, who had selected him.
The President of the European Parliament
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
Jerzy Buzek
Jerzy Buzek
Jerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
welcomed the election of Schmitt.