null Results of the parliamentary elections related to the nationalities

Communication of the Minority Ombudsman on the results of the 2018 parliamentary elections related to the nationalities


On April 8, 2018, parliamentary elections were held in Hungary, during which for the second time the members of the communities of nationalities in Hungary had the opportunity to secure their parliamentary participation. There are two forms of this at present: electing an independent and full Member of the Parliament with a preferential mandate, or a nationality advocate elected with a lower number of votes.

At present, there are two nationalities in our country who can fulfill the number of votes needed for the preferential mandate – the Roma and the German communities. Although the nationality advocates do not enjoy the same rights as individual representatives, but acting in their capacity as members of the Committee Representing the Nationalities in Hungary, they can effectively enforce the interests of the community they represent – as it has been the case several times in the recent years.

Yesterday, the list set up by the Nationality Self-Government of the Germans in Hungary achieved 25,658 votes in favor of a privileged mandate, so former German nationality advocate Imre Ritter could continue to work as a Member of the Parliament. This is a historical moment: the German nationality community was last represented in Parliament in 1933. 85 years after the parliamentary work of Jakab Bleyer, the second largest nationality community of our country will soon receive a strong advocacy. However, I am convinced that the acquisition of an independent mandate is a novel and unique opportunity for the representation of the rights of all nationality communities in Hungary.

In the spirit of successful professional cooperation, I wish a successful work for the new Member of the Parliament and for the new and old members of the committee of nationality advocates.

 

Prof. Elisabeth Sándor-Szalay
Deputy-Commissioner for Fundamental Rights
Ombudsman for the Rights of National Minorities