President should be elected directly, say Jobbik, LMP

Budapest, May 5 (MTI) – Representatives of radical nationalist Jobbik and green LMP voiced support for direct presidential elections in future, at talks held on Thursday.

Gábor Staudt, Jobbik’s deputy group leader, said that a direct election would strengthen the legitimacy of the president. Hungary needs a head of state “who appeals to the Constitutional Court more often and makes more use of his powers,” he said. Although those powers could be extended, Jobbik would not want to see a “semi-presidential” system, he added.

LMP co-chair András Schiffer said his party would increase voter participation in the process of selecting the president, as opposed to the current practice in which “parties consider the post as a trophy”.

Schiffer also urged that the president should have more power to act as a counterpoise in a system “veering towards majority-dominated democracy”.

The meeting was scheduled to be attended by all five parliamentary parties, but the ruling parties and opposition Socialists stayed away.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters