New parliament’s first session to be on May 2, new government to form only in end-May
The results of the general election on April 3 have become final and binding as the Hungarian top court, the Kúria, on Saturday rejected the only appeal against the results, submitted by the opposition Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland). Scroll down to read about when the new parliament will start its work and the new government will be formed.
Mi Hazánk requested a recount of mail-in ballots from Hungarian citizens with no domicile in the country. The party said the National Election Office (NVI) had failed to publish data on damaged mail-in ballots, and so Mi Hazánk’s delegate in the National Election Committee (NVB) could not determine whether they were valid.
In its decision on Saturday, the Kúria said the national list is a result of partial results which have already become binding and thus not subject to debate. The appeal also aims to change a decision of the Election Office citing procedural errors at the Election Committee, conflating the roles of the two bodies, the Kúria said.
Also, Mi Hazánk has not exhausted all legal recourse determined in the election procedural law for irregularities in NVI procedures, the decision said.
The Kúria’s decision upheld the NVB’s decision on the election results. The results of the election of individual mandates have become final in every district by April 12, and so the result of the Kúria means the election results are now final.
According to the final results, ruling Fidesz-KDNP has won 135 mandates in the new parliament, the alliance of the opposition Democratic Coalition, Jobbik, Socialist, Parbeszed, Momentum and LMP parties has won 57 mandates, while Mi Hazánk has six and the national authority of ethnic Germans in Hungary one mandate.
Infostart.hu reported this week that, based on their information, President János Áder would call the first session of the new parliament on May 2. The deadline for that is 30 days after the elections, which is May 3.
In the case of the new government, PM Viktor Orbán said during his international press conference held after the general elections that it would not be a short procedure – index.hu wrote. He added that the new parliament would ask the prime minister to form a new government. Therefore, the earliest date for the new government to enter the office is the end-May. Many speculations circulate about the composition of the fifth Orbán cabinet. Orbán said he would count on Péter Szijjártó as foreign minister, but gossip states Szijjártó’s portfolio will be slimmer. He might lose trade in the new administration. Furthermore, Orbán said János Lázár’s return to the government was not impossible. If he received an invitation to meet Orbán, he would be there, Lázár said.
Read also All votes counted: Orbán has 2/3 majority, but radical Mi Hazánk wants recount
Source: MTI, Infostart, index.hu
Wish the new parliament all the best. Have a very Happy Easter.