Referendum – Fidesz pins hopes on majority for constitutional amendment

Budapest, October 4 (MTI) – Ruling Fidesz hopes to have its proposal for a constitutional amendment in light of the referendum result on European Union migrant quotas passed with “a decisive majority” of lawmakers, the party’s deputy leader said on Tuesday.

Parliament is not bound by the outcome to legislate but it has the power to do so, Gergely Gulyás told a press conference.

When top Fidesz officials meet to evaluate Sunday’s referendum in the afternoon, the amendment proposal will be discussed, he said.

Fidesz is working to form “national unity” on the issue of mandatory EU migrant quotas, said Gulyás, adding that in the parliamentary vote it would become clear who supported and who rejected the scheme.

Asked whether the issue of who bore responsibility for insufficient voter turnout would be raised, Gulyás said, “There’s no reason: almost 3.3 million voters rejected the quota scheme.” This amounts to 120,000 more votes for the government’s initiative than the combined number of votes ruling Fidesz and opposition Jobbik won in the 2014 general election, he added.