Most–Híd
Encyclopedia
Most–Híd is a centre-right political party in Slovakia. Its programme calls for greater cooperation between the country's Hungarian minority
and ethnic Slovaks. It has ten members of National Council
and is part of the centre-right coalition government
, in which Most–Híd members Rudolf Chmel
and Zsolt Simon are ministers
.
The party was formed in June 2009 by defectors from the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
(SMK), which the defectors accused of being too nationalistic
. Led by Béla Bugár
, the party claims to have a membership that's two-thirds ethnic Hungarian and one-third ethnic Slovak. In the 2010 election
, the party won ten seats in the National Council
– the Civic Conservative Party
won a further four seats on the Most–Híd list
– whereas the SMK fell short of the 5% threshold
.
, Gábor Gál, László A. Nagy, Tibor Bastrnák and Zsolt Simon, who had previously left the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
. Béla Bugár, who had also been the president of his former party for 10 years, was elected its president. It was established as a Slovak-Hungarian cooperation alternative to the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
, electing Rudolf Chmel
to be its vice president representing ethnic Slovaks. The party wants to represent the interests of the ethnic Hungarians while working together with the Slovaks.
Rudolf Chmel expressed his view that the soaring nationalism can not be let to distract from the search for common solutions to the mutual problems of the Slovaks and the Hungarians.
According to Peter Huncik about 60 to 65 percent members are Hungarians, while 35 to 40 are Slovaks.
Polls from mid-September 2009 gave Most–Híd between 3 and 5.6 percent. An opinion poll by Focus in May 2010 gave Most–Híd 5.6% of the vote. In the Slovak parliamentary elections
of 12 June 2010, Most-Hid received 8.12% of the vote, winning 14 seats in parliament.
:
Most–Híd has ten members of the National Council:
The Civic Conservative Party
's four members also sit in the Most–Híd parliamentary group:
Hungarians in Slovakia
Hungarians in Slovakia are the largest ethnic minority of the country, numbering 520,528 people or 9.7% of population . They are concentrated mostly in the southern part of the country, near the border with Hungary...
and ethnic Slovaks. It has ten members of National Council
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
and is part of the centre-right coalition government
Government of Slovakia
The Government of the Slovak Republic is the executive branch of government in Slovakia.It is led by a prime minister , who is nominated by the president, and is usually a leader of majority party or of a majority coalition after an election to the National Council of the Slovak Republic...
, in which Most–Híd members Rudolf Chmel
Rudolf Chmel
Rudolf Chmel is a Slovak politician who was Minister of Culture in the government of Slovakia from 2002 to 2005 and again in 2006. He was also the last ambassador of Czechoslovakia accredited to Hungary, a member of the Parliament of Slovakia, and a writer and editor...
and Zsolt Simon are ministers
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
.
The party was formed in June 2009 by defectors from the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Party of the Hungarian Coalition
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
(SMK), which the defectors accused of being too nationalistic
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
. Led by Béla Bugár
Béla Bugár
is a Slovak politician of Hungarian ethnicity. He is a member of the Slovak parliament since 1992, briefly serving as its acting Speaker in 2006. He is the leader of the political party Most-Híd....
, the party claims to have a membership that's two-thirds ethnic Hungarian and one-third ethnic Slovak. In the 2010 election
Slovak parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election took place in Slovakia on 12 June 2010. The elections were contested by eighteen parties, six of which passed the 5% threshold for sitting in parliament...
, the party won ten seats in the National Council
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
– the Civic Conservative Party
Civic Conservative Party
The Civic Conservative Party , abbreviated to OKS, is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Slovakia. It has four seats in the National Council, which it won in an electoral alliance with Most–Híd at the 2010 election, and the party's four MPs sit in the Most–Híd parliamentary...
won a further four seats on the Most–Híd list
Electoral list
An electoral list is a grouping of candidates for election to a post, usually in proportional election systems. An electoral list can be registered by a political party or can constitute a group of independent candidates...
– whereas the SMK fell short of the 5% threshold
Election threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
.
History
The party was established on 30 June 2009 by Béla BugárBéla Bugár
is a Slovak politician of Hungarian ethnicity. He is a member of the Slovak parliament since 1992, briefly serving as its acting Speaker in 2006. He is the leader of the political party Most-Híd....
, Gábor Gál, László A. Nagy, Tibor Bastrnák and Zsolt Simon, who had previously left the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Party of the Hungarian Coalition
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
. Béla Bugár, who had also been the president of his former party for 10 years, was elected its president. It was established as a Slovak-Hungarian cooperation alternative to the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Party of the Hungarian Coalition
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
, electing Rudolf Chmel
Rudolf Chmel
Rudolf Chmel is a Slovak politician who was Minister of Culture in the government of Slovakia from 2002 to 2005 and again in 2006. He was also the last ambassador of Czechoslovakia accredited to Hungary, a member of the Parliament of Slovakia, and a writer and editor...
to be its vice president representing ethnic Slovaks. The party wants to represent the interests of the ethnic Hungarians while working together with the Slovaks.
Rudolf Chmel expressed his view that the soaring nationalism can not be let to distract from the search for common solutions to the mutual problems of the Slovaks and the Hungarians.
According to Peter Huncik about 60 to 65 percent members are Hungarians, while 35 to 40 are Slovaks.
Polls from mid-September 2009 gave Most–Híd between 3 and 5.6 percent. An opinion poll by Focus in May 2010 gave Most–Híd 5.6% of the vote. In the Slovak parliamentary elections
Slovak parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election took place in Slovakia on 12 June 2010. The elections were contested by eighteen parties, six of which passed the 5% threshold for sitting in parliament...
of 12 June 2010, Most-Hid received 8.12% of the vote, winning 14 seats in parliament.
Elected representatives
Most–Híd has two members of the government of SlovakiaGovernment of Slovakia
The Government of the Slovak Republic is the executive branch of government in Slovakia.It is led by a prime minister , who is nominated by the president, and is usually a leader of majority party or of a majority coalition after an election to the National Council of the Slovak Republic...
:
- Rudolf ChmelRudolf ChmelRudolf Chmel is a Slovak politician who was Minister of Culture in the government of Slovakia from 2002 to 2005 and again in 2006. He was also the last ambassador of Czechoslovakia accredited to Hungary, a member of the Parliament of Slovakia, and a writer and editor...
– Deputy Prime Minister for Human Rights and Minorities - Zsolt Simon – Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development
Most–Híd has ten members of the National Council:
- Tibor Bastrnák
- Béla BugárBéla Bugáris a Slovak politician of Hungarian ethnicity. He is a member of the Slovak parliament since 1992, briefly serving as its acting Speaker in 2006. He is the leader of the political party Most-Híd....
- Gábor Gál
- Elemér Jakab
- László A. Nagy
- Edita Pfundtner
- Igor Sidor
- László Solymos
- Ivan Švejna
- Péter Vörös
The Civic Conservative Party
Civic Conservative Party
The Civic Conservative Party , abbreviated to OKS, is a centre-right liberal conservative political party in Slovakia. It has four seats in the National Council, which it won in an electoral alliance with Most–Híd at the 2010 election, and the party's four MPs sit in the Most–Híd parliamentary...
's four members also sit in the Most–Híd parliamentary group:
- Ondrej Dostál
- Peter Osuský
- František Šebej
- Peter Zajac