Hungarian parliamentary election, 1994

Hungarian parliamentary election, 1994

8 and 29 May 1994

All 386 seats in the National Assembly 194 seats needed for a majority Turnout 68.9%   First party Second party Third party   Leader Gyula Horn Iván Pető Lajos Für Party MSZP SZDSZ MDF Leader since 27 May 1990 13 November 1992 19 February 1994 Last election 33 seats, 10.1% 94 seats, 21.40% 165 seats, 24.72% Seats won 209 69 38 Seat change 176 25 127 Popular vote 1,781,867 1,066,074 633,957 Percentage 33.0% 19.7% 11.7%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader József Torgyán Viktor Orbán László Surján Party FKGP Fidesz KDNP Leader since 26 April 1991 18 April 1993 27 May 1990 Last election 44 seats, 11.74% 22 seats, 8.95% 21 seats, 6.46% Seats won 26 20 22 Seat change 18 2 1 Popular vote 476,416 379,295 379.573 Percentage 8.8% 7.0% 7.0%

Results of SMCs

Prime Minister before election Péter Boross MDF Elected Prime Minister Gyula Horn MSZP

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
Administrative divisions Districts Counties Regions Subregions
Foreign relations
Other countries Atlas

Parliamentary elections were held in Hungary on 8 May 1994, with a second round of voting in 174 of the 176 single member constituencies on 29 May.^[1][2] They resulted in the return to power of the Hungarian Socialist Party, the former Communist party, under the leadership of Gyula Horn, who became Prime Minister. The Socialists achieved a remarkable revival, winning an overall majority of 209 seats out of 386, up from 33 in 1990. At the time, it was the most seats that a Hungarian party had ever won in a free election.

The governing Hungarian Democratic Forum was severely defeated, falling from 165 seats to 38 for third place. It was also a disappointment for the principal opposition party of the previous parliament, the Alliance of Free Democrats, which failed to capitalize on the government's unpopularity and lost seats. Poor economic performance, apparent government incompetence and a certain nostalgia for the social security of the communist era appear to be the main reasons for the result, together with significant reform of the Socialists' policies, with commitment to the expansion for the market economy and continued compensation for the victims of communism.

Despite winning an overall majority, Horn decided to form a coalition with the Free Democrats, giving him a two-thirds majority. This was partly to assuage public concerns inside and outside Hungary over an ex-communist party with an overall majority, and partly to get his reform package past his own party's left wing.

Results

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