Hungarian ruling alliance proposes stricter disciplinary rules for renitent MPs

The ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats alliance has proposed stricter disciplinary rules for MPs violating the order of parliamentary sessions, group leader Máté Kocsis said on Wednesday.

Kocsis told a press conference that some of the “wilder” opposition MPs had recently committed “unprecedentedly boorish acts” in parliament, such as preventing the chairman of the session to occupy his seat and disturbing the session. He also referred to independent MP Ákos Hadházy recently holding up a sign showing rude words in parliament.

He proposed raising the maximum fine applicable if an MP disturbs the peace of a session by 12-fold, to four times of the monthly salary. However, preventing the chairman of the session from carrying out his duties could result in a fine equalling six months’ salary or optionally 12 months’, he added.

In line with the proposal, MPs who “notoriously” refuse to keep their temper under control and disturb sessions by shouting, such as Tímea Szabó and Bence Tordai of Párbeszéd and Gergely Arató and Ágnes Vadai of DK, could be subjected to fines equalling half month or one month salary, he added.

The proposal includes restrictions on MPs’ right to enter state offices “waving their IDs, with the purpose of provocation”, he said.

It will remain mandatory for state bodies to help lawmakers fulfil their duties but the lawmakers will be expected to indicate in advance that they request information from state bodies or public institutions, he added.

The proposal will enable banning a lawmaker from entering parliament for up to 60 days if he or she committed “physical acts of violence”, such as causing injuries, Kocsis said.

The opposition Socialists called the proposal unacceptable. Party leader Bertalan Toth said that Fidesz pledged “to conduct a self-examination” after “the massive defeat” it had suffered in last month’s municipal elections. The motion proves, however, that Fidesz “has learnt nothing at all”, Toth told a press conference.

Conservative Jobbik deputy group leader László György Lukács said

the proposal is “probably unconstitutional, unacceptable in a state governed by the rule of law, and evokes the era of dictatorial rule”.

The leftist Democratic Coalition said earlier in the day that the proposal “is another step towards ending the parliamentary system and establishing a dictatorship”.

From now on, MPs may be banned from the Parliament building and the block that houses lawmakers’ offices for several months, making it impossible for them to carry out their work, DK deputy parliamentary group leader Gergely Arató told a press conference.

The opposition parties have called for a joint action against the proposal.