Parliament special session unlikely to reach quorum – Preview

Budapest, August 21 (MTI) – A special session of parliament initiated by the Jobbik party to discuss amending Hungary’s election law is unlikely to reach quorum on Monday, as the ruling Fidesz-KDNP alliance has signalled that more than half of their lawmakers will stay away.

Jobbik has proposed amending the election law with a view to making it easier for Hungarians working or studying abroad to vote.

Hungarians who have a permanent address in the country but are abroad on the day of an election or referendum can only vote at a Hungarian embassy or consular office near them, while ethnic Hungarians living beyond the border can vote by mail.

Jobbik said these rules were unfair, arguing that many Hungarians working in western Europe “have to travel hundreds of kilometres” to be able to exercise their voting rights at a representative office.

The opposition Socialist and LMP parties supported Jobbik’s initiative to hold a special parliamentary session to change the voting rules.

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Fidesz last week rejected the proposal to amend the election law, saying that the current one is “coherent and has stood scrutiny by international organisations such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Venice Commission”. Group leader Lajos Kósa said the opposition parties were using the amendment proposal as a way to try to thwart the migrant quota referendum scheduled for Oct 2.

Source: MTI