Coronavirus: Hungarian parliament votes to extend state of emergency

Parliament on Tuesday passed a law on the government’s response to the second wave of the novel coronavirus epidemic, extending the state of emergency declared due to the pandemic.

The law grants the government enhanced powers to handle the pandemic for a period of 90 days. Parliament may rescind the government’s emergency powers before the state of emergency expires.

Under the law, the government is required to regularly brief lawmakers on its pandemic response measures.

By-elections cannot be scheduled until after the expiry of the state of emergency and any that have already been scheduled are to be postponed. By-elections that have not been scheduled or have been postponed are to be scheduled within 15 days after the end of the state of emergency.

National and local referendums cannot be initiated until after the state of emergency expires. Referendums that have not been scheduled or have been postponed are to be scheduled within 15 days after the end of the state of emergency.

Lawmakers approved the law with 180 votes in favour and one against.

In its justification of the bill, the government said it aimed to “continue saving lives”, adding that this required “quickness and an ability to respond” to the epidemic.