Hungarian presidential election, 2010

Hungarian presidential election, 2010

29 June 2010

Nominee Pál Schmitt András Balogh Party Fidesz MSZP Electoral vote 263 59

President before election László Sólyom Independent Elected President Pál Schmitt Fidesz

Hungary
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Hungary
Constitution 1949 Constitution
Executive President János Áder Government Current cabinet Prime Minister (list) Viktor Orbán
Parliament National Assembly Speaker: László Kövér Political parties Fidesz Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) Jobbik Politics Can Be Different (LMP) Dialogue for Hungary (PM) Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) Democratic Coalition (DK)
Recent elections Parliamentary: 2010 2014 next Presidential: 2005 2010 2012
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An indirect presidential election was held in Hungary on 29 June 2010.^[1] The Prime Minister's nominee Pál Schmitt was elected by an absolute majority.

Background

Following the Hungarian parliamentary election, 2010, 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 Party nominated university lecturer and Hungarian ambassador to Thailand András Balogh on 6 June 2010.^[2][3] Fidesz nominated speaker of parliament Pál Schmitt on 23 June 2010. Jobbik intended to nominate Krisztina Morvai,^[4] and Politics Can Be Different wished to nominate incumbent President László Sólyom, but neither had enough MPs to respectively do so.^[5][6]

Once elected, the new president would take office on 5 August 2010.^[7]

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 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.^[8]

Results

1. ↑ 20 MPs opted for not registering and did not pick up their ballots
2. ↑ 44 empty ballots cast with neither candidate supported

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 Orbán, who had selected him.^[10]

The President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek welcomed the election of Schmitt.^[11]

References

Elections and referendums in Hungary
As part of Austria-Hungary (1840s–1918) Parliamentary elections 1848 1861 1865 1869 1872 1875 1878 1881 1884 1887 1892 1896 1901 1905 1906 1910
Independent Hungary (1918–present) Parliamentary elections 1920 1922 1926 1931 1935 1939 1944 1945 1947 1949 1953 1958 1963 1967 1971 1975 1980 1985 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 next by-elections European elections 2004 2009 2014 2019 Local elections 1949 1953 1958 1963 1967 1971 1975 1980 1985 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 Referendums 1989 1990 1997 2003 2004 2008 2016