referendum

Airbnb association takes up the fight against possible ban in Budapest

“In September 2024, residents of Terézváros will decide, in a referendum disguised as a public opinion poll, on the complete ban of Airbnb operations in their district. While the affected accommodation providers and local businesses and workers who depend on tourism are not allowed to vote, a potential negative outcome could lead them into a severe livelihood crisis.

Therefore, the accommodation providers have come together and launched their campaign, titled ‘Let Terézváros Thrive!’ with 80 activists participating on August 22, 2024,” according to a joint statement by the Hungarian Association of Apartment Hosts and the Alliance of Responsible Accommodation Providers.

At the meeting organized by the Hungarian Association of Apartment Hosts and the Alliance of Responsible Accommodation Providers (MAKE), association president Balázs Schumicky pointed out that even if Airbnbs are banned, mass tourists who disregard community living rules in residential buildings will continue to be a problem because hostels operating in residential buildings can still operate without control. These visitors typically stay in these large-capacity, low-cost accommodations.

“In contrast, 75% of the apartments rented to tourists in the district are suitable for accommodating 2-4 people, and no one can seriously think that couples or families visiting Budapest are the ones causing problems for residents,” emphasized the MAKE president.

Airbnb owners believe hotel association would like to suffocate them:

Airbnb Budapest
Photo: FB/MAKE

Balázs Schumicky also noted that international examples show that it is not true that ‘Airbnbs’ are responsible for rising rental prices. In any case, there is no housing crisis in the 6th district, as, over 11 years, 10,000 more apartments are available to residents due to people moving out and the construction of new apartments.

If renters were to replace tourists, who spend an average of 3.5 nights in Budapest, drawing from experiences during the Covid period, tenants unsuitable for condominium life could move in, potentially making life miserable for residents for many months or even years. Meanwhile, the condition of the residential buildings will further deteriorate as the accommodation providers who have reinvested a portion of their income into maintaining the buildings and covering extraordinary renovation costs will be driven away. The MAKE president also stressed that if 3-4,000 new residents suddenly appear in Terézváros as renters, current residents will have fewer parking spaces and daycare and kindergarten places, as tourists do not use these public services, but renters do.

A Terézváros rooftop. Photo: FB/Soproni

Citing Tamás Soproni, he stated that Airbnbs in the district pay more than 670 million forints in tourism tax annually to the district’s coffers. This amount, combined with the property tax they also pay, approaches 1 billion forints. The absence of this revenue could lead to a lack of developments or tax increases imposed on district residents and businesses. Following the public part of the press conference, Iván Somló, a member of the association and the campaign project manager, outlined the tasks for activists in the coming weeks. In the upcoming period, the organizers aim to spread fact-based messages to as many people as possible,

encourage as many people as possible to vote NO,

and show the residents of Terézváros the drastic consequences they could face if private and other accommodations are completely banned. This is why they chose the slogan for their campaign: “Let Terézváros Thrive!”

The accommodation providers have real proposals that offer a solution for all parties concerned in Terézváros: reducing illegal accommodations, preventing the opening of new accommodations similar to the 5th district, and effectively enforcing existing regulations. These well-developed proposals have been shared with the leaders of Terézváros multiple times.

Read also:

  • Tourists vs cities: Next clash in Budapest – mayor, government-close tourism board against Airbnb, read more HERE
  • Budapest district mayor shares further details about possible Airbnb ban from September

Featured image: illustration, MAKE demonstration in 2020.

Budapest district mayor shares further details about possible Airbnb ban from September

Budapest district mayor tells further details about banning Airbnb from September (Copy)

We reported that a Budapest downtown district, Terézváros, is planning a local referendum in September about banning Airbnb in the district. If the locals vote for the ban, the drastic measure would be a first in Hungary. Szeretlek Magyarország asked Tamás Soproni, the re-elected mayor of Terézváros (6th district), about what Airbnb users, owners and locals should know about the referendum.

Budapest district may ban Airbnb in weeks

According to Szeretlek Magyarország, 8% of the apartments in Terézváros are short-term rentals, while that number in Budapest is 14 thousand. That is the official data. In practice, the local government discovered multiple illegal “Airbnbs” in a May probe.

Terézváros from above. Photo: FB/Soproni

Meanwhile, the local government’s revenue from the sector reached EUR 1.77 million, which is considerable. Critics say that Airbnb increases rental prices. Others argue that the Airbnb sector provides work for lots of people and has benefits concerning tourism development. Meanwhile, Airbnb apartments are out of the housing market, which results in sky-high rental prices.

Mr Soproni promised to share information and pro-contra arguments with every household. As a result, locals can make responsible decisions. Moreover, they plan online campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. They will also organise a conference to hear lobbyists and experts.

Terézváros Airbnb Budapest
Hunyadi Square. Photo: FB/Soproni

Government office made Terézváros abolish another Airbnb decree

Terézváros tried another way before. They wanted to limit the number of opening days to 0 of those Airbnb apartments that local families found problematic. However, the government office called them to abolish the relevant local decrees because they were against the law.

Airbnb Budapest
Photo: www.airbnb.co.uk/

The Hungarian Parliament allowed all local governments to limit the number of opening days for short-time rents. However, Terézváros’s example shows they can only make universal rules instead of customised ones.

Concerning numbers, Soproni said that in Terézváros, 8% of the apartments are Airbnbs. In the 7th district, it is 10%, while in the 5th district, that rate is 7%.

Only locals can vote, but it is not an official referendum

Soproni said the voting would last two weeks in September, and only locals can vote offline or online. They must show their identity card and residency card to do so. Locals above 16 can vote because the mayor believes they must allow younger generations to form the district’s future.

He promised that the IT system would be safe and would not allow anybody to vote more than once.

He said it would not be an official referendum because it is pricey and requires personal attendance. In the 7th district, for example, a similar initiative was unsuccessful because only 10% of the locals voted.

Officially, the September voting will be a consultation, but it will bind the new local government starting its work on 1 October.

Read also:

  • Bad news for tourists: Budapest district may ban Airbnb in September – read more HERE
  • Wizz Air under fire again: New investigation launched against Hungarian low-cost airline – details in THIS article

Bad news for tourists: Budapest district may ban Airbnb in September!

budapest travel airbnb tourism

Budapest’s 6th district is one of the most famous districts for tourists coming to the capital since it is in the heart of the city with astonishing buildings and perfect options to serve as a base for visiting all the beauties of Budapest. Now, locals may ban Airbnbs in a September referendum.

Almost 1,500 short-term rentals in a Budapest district

The district’s mayor, Tamás Soproni, shared the unexpected news on his official Facebook page this morning. He said the referendum would be decisive: they will execute the locals’ will.

Mr Soproni said there were 1,468 legal short-term rentals in the district with a population of approximately 35 thousand.  The number of private and other type of tourism accommodations reaches 2,226. That is close to 8 percent of all homes in the area, the local council said. Soproni added that the local government received HUF 670 million (EUR 1.7 million) in 2023 in tax paid by short-term rental operators.

Airbnb Budapest
Tamás Soproni, the mayor of Terézváros. Photo: FB/Tamás Soproni

Soproni said such accommodations cause many problems for locals, so they must decide together about their future. Following Swiss patterns, they will distribute a brochure to each household comprising arguments for and against a total ban. Moreover, they will ask experts and lobbyists at a conference on the issue.

Locals may take part in a decisive referendum

The Hungarian National Assembly authorised each local government in Hungary to set the number of opening days for short-term rentals. Budapest’s 6th district will be the first to use that power.

Since the Parliament did not give power to the local governments to check the number of opening days, locals in Terézváros will decide on a total ban and business as usual in the referendum. Thus, the question will be simple: “Do you agree to ban renting apartments as Airbnb-type accommodation?” The voting will take place between 2 and 16 September.

airbnb, tourism, travel
Illustration. Source: Pixabay

You may vote online and offline, provided you obtain a permanent residency card or a local address in the district and are above 16. Soproni highlighted that the voting is decisive. Therefore, they will execute the locals’ will.

Big players would introduce more restrictions on Airbnbs in Hungary

As index.hu wrote, a powerful lobby from big players like the Hungarian Hotel & Restaurant Association tries to restrict short-term rentals (Airbnbs) in Hungary. Though all players believe in strict regulation which would boost the Hungarian tourism sector, short-term rental operators are afraid of gossip about limiting the number of opening days for such accommodations. News is about 120-180 days each year, which the Airbnb sector regards as a catastrophe.

Airbnb Budapest
Photo: www.airbnb.co.uk/

Currently, there are more than 14 thousand Airnbns in Hungary, including rural tourism houses and downtown apartments. The Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTÜ) introduced strict rules concerning short-term rentals, which is unique in Europe. For example, they prescribed daily reports, introduced compulsory accommodation ratings, and operators must pay tourism development tax.

Limiting the number of opening days unexpected bad news

Balázs Schumicky, the head of MAKE, an association of Hungarian short-term renters, said they created a good regulation, and the state saw every data they wanted. That is why Márton Nagy, Hungary’s top economy minister, asked for proposals for deregulation instead of restrictions.

Therefore, gossip about limiting the number of maximum opening days came as an unexpected surprise. Csaba Wakszmann, the deputy leader of another interest-protection association, said it was especially the Hungarian Hotel & Restaurant Association that urged stricter restrictions. PM Orbán gave 30 September as a deadline for Minister Márton Nagy to come up with a new regulation. However, neither the MTÜ head nor the minister invited players of the Airbnb sector to talks.

The government’s ambitious tourism plans require Airbnbs

Players in the sector argue that restricting short-term rentals would endanger the government’s ambitious tourism development plans. Limiting the number of opening days would be unbearable for Airbnb operators.

Based on the KSH (Hungarian Central Statistical Office), in 2023, 32.36% of foreign tourist guest nights in Budapest were spent in short-term rentals.

Mr Schumicky shared other data. He said KSH data shows Airbnb does not increase long-term rental prices because prices in rural cities grew more than in Budapest’s downtown. Therefore, short-term rentals do not contribute to the housing crisis.

Furthermore, international examples show that restricting such rentals does not increase hotel utilisation because guests choose other destinations, so the city or the country loses revenues. Finally, most short-term rentals with a capacity of 2-4 people do not host party tourists who may disturb local residents.

All in all, players in the sector expect similar conditions for all tourism players, including hotels and short-term rentals. If the latter suffered and got limited, fairness would be out of the question.

Read also:

Government not to be allowed to build everywhere what they want?

construction

The National Election Committee (NVB) has approved a referendum bid submitted by opposition LMP which aims to scrap provisions in the Hungarian law on construction which allow priority investments to be fast-tracked, the party’s deputy group leader said on Thursday.

LMP, which unsuccessfully launched the referendum bid last summer, had turned to the Kuria, Hungary’s supreme court, which overruled the NVB’s decision to reject the bid.

Antal Csárdi told a press conference that in principle all obstacles to holding a referendum on the issue had been removed, and additional rights given to companies making priority investments would be struck down.

If no one appeals the decision within the next two weeks, LMP will start gathering signatures at the end of February, he said. “If all goes to plan”, the referendum could be held in the autumn, Csárdi said.

The referendum aims to ensure that investments “that could ruin the residential environment and make everyday life impossible” would not be made without consulting locals, he said.

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Hungarian opposition party submits referendum question concerning construction rules

Opposition LMP has submitted another referendum question in an effort to prevent the government from assigning certain construction project a status of strategic importance, LMP deputy group leader Antal Csárdi told a press conference on Friday.

Last year, the National Election Committee thwarted a referendum proposal submitted by LMP, which was aimed at scrapping a law under which key government projects could be expedited. The party appealed against the committee decision to the supreme court, which decided in LMP’s favour and scrapped the committee ruling.

Ruling Fidesz then scrapped the contested law, but “packed practically all its stipulations” into another bill aimed to change the construction law, Csárdi said, adding that his party’s aim was to remove all proposed stipulations aimed to expedite such government projects.

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  • THESE are the major changes in Hungary in 2024
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Battery plants will not require locals’ consent, says Hungarian election committee

Battery plant Hungary

The National Election Committee (NVB) on Tuesday rejected a referendum initiative by opposition LMP on requiring the consent of local communities before building battery plants.

The green party had intended to ask citizens whether public consent in a local referendum should be required for the construction of a battery plant in a given locality.

The NVB rejected the question on the ground that it did not meet the constitutional stipulation that the circumstances for ordering a local referendum on the basis of subject matter could only be regulated in exceptional cases.

It said the rules of procedure provided by the laws currently in effect were suitable for meeting LMP’s goal of requiring the consent of local communities for the construction of battery plants.

The NVB said that if the regulation proposed by LMP were to enter into force, an invalid local referendum would prevent the construction of a battery plant even if a majority of those who voted were in favour of the project.

Because of this, the initiative is out of line with the constitution, which therefore means it is “aimed at an implicit amendment to the constitution”, which cannot be subject to a referendum.

The NVB’s decisions are not legally binding and can be appealed at the Kuria, Hungary’s supreme court, within 15 days.

PM Orbán Greater Hungary scarf
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No more battery factories to be installed in Hungary? National referendum initiative submitted

Opposition LMP has initiated a referendum to make setting up battery plants conditional on local citizens’ consent.

László Lóránt Keresztes, the head of parliament’s sustainable development committee, held a press conference after submitting the necessary documents at the National Election Office.

Protecting natural treasures and promoting national economic independence are key at a time of crises, he said.

The government’s decision to “turn Hungary into a battery manufacturing power” through political decisions goes contrary to those goals, he said. Battery manufacturing is also water and energy-consuming at a time when those resources are in short supply in the country, he said.

Keresztes insisted the government was not handling the environmental issues the battery plants have presented, and “took foreign investors’ side” without gauging locals’ views on the matter.

As we wrote earlier, a public hearing in Debrecen was disturbed by the booing and yelling of the residents of the Eastern Hungarian city. Representatives of the Chinese CATL battery manufacturer and the mayor of Debrecen attended the event to present a 7.4bn EUR investment to the locals, details HERE.

National Election Committee decided about Jobbik’s Huxit referendum

Jobbik Huxit referendum

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The National Election Committee (NVB) on Thursday refused to approve a referendum question, submitted by the president of the opposition party Jobbik and a Non-attached member of the European Parliament (NI) Márton Gyöngyösi, aimed at prohibiting parliament from approving a decision that could lead to Hungary’s exit from the European Union.

The referendum question, submitted by Gyöngyösi as a private individual on Aug. 8, reads: “Do you agree that parliament should not be allowed to support a proposal or motion that could result in Hungary leaving the European Union?”

The election committee decided with 11 votes for and 2 votes against not to approve the initiative, explaining that based on its generic text, it was impossible to ascertain which decisions it aimed to prevent. The requirement of unambiguity was not fulfilled because the question was not sufficiently defined, it said.

It added that there was no known legislative will or proposal submitted to parliament calling for Hungary to exit the EU that could result in such a move.

Disclaimer: the sole liability for the opinions stated rests with the author(s). These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Parliament.

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Top court rules referendum bids on China’s Fudan University, jobless benefits unconstitutional

orbán in china

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that a decision by the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, approving referendum initiatives on the Budapest campus of China’s Fudan University and the extension of the jobseekers’ allowance is unconstitutional.

The ruling means that a referendum cannot be held on those issues.

In its justification, the Constitutional Court said a national referendum on the planned Budapest campus of Fudan University could not be held because it concerned an international agreement between Hungary and the People’s Republic of China.

Meanwhile, the issue of extending the eligibility period for jobless benefits cannot be put to a vote because it would impact the state budget, the court said.

Under Hungarian law, referendums cannot be initiated on subjects which would affect obligations stemming from an international agreement and ones that involve changes in public finance.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony announced last July that he would initiate a referendum on five issues.

In August, Hungary’s National Election Committee certified two of those referendum questions; one on Fudan University’s Budapest campus and one on the extension of jobless benefits. The questions were approved by the Kúria in December.

The Kúria’s rulings were appealed to the Constitutional Court.

UPDATE

Commenting on the ruling, Karácsony said the Constitutional Court had “done the political bidding” of the ruling Fidesz party.

In a Facebook post, Karácsony said it appeared that the ruling parties “only like to reference the people but are actually afraid of them”, adding that future generations would judge the members of the court.

The mayor said the city council would now have to find a way for Budapest residents to express their opinions on the two issues in question.

It’s official: Hungarians will be able to say No to Chinese Fudan university in Budapest

Fudan Budapest south pest

The referendum initiatives on the Budapest campus of China’s Fudan University and the extension of the jobseekers’ allowance have each garnered the required minimum 200,000 valid signatures, the National Election Committee (NVB) confirmed on Wednesday.

The referendum initiatives were submitted by Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony as a private individual.

The referendum questions are aimed at preventing a campus of Fudan University being built in Budapest and call for extending the jobseekers’ allowance to 270 days.

At least 200,526 valid supporting signatures were submitted for the referendum bid on the Fudan University campus, while at least 200,555 signatures were submitted for the one on the jobseekers’ allowance, the NVB said.

Pillar of Shame Statue
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Opposition MPs call for referendum before Hungary’s potential NATO, EU exit

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MPs of the united opposition have submitted a constitutional amendment proposal with a view to ensuring that Hungary cannot leave NATO or the European Union without a referendum, István Szent-Iványi said at an online press briefing on Saturday.

The opposition parties want to ensure that in the case of international organisations where Hungary’s membership was preceded by a referendum, it should only be possible to decide on a withdrawal based on a valid and successful referendum, the opposition politician said.

He recalled that the referendum on joining NATO was held in 1997 and one on joining the EU in 2003.

According to the Fundamental Law, decisions on international treaties cannot be made by referendum, Szent-Iványi said. However, the law also states that the people are the source of public power.

Consequently, the people must decide on issues that fundamentally determine the state of Hungary, he said.

The parties of the united opposition believe that Hungary’s place is within the EU, Zita Gurmai, the deputy leader of the Socialists’ parliamentary group, said.

Military Guns Fighting Rifle Pistol Katonaság Soldier Fegyver
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Opposition wants to say no on Budapest’s Chinese university on April 3

Fudan Budapest south pest
Parties of the united opposition have demanded that their referendum on unemployment benefits and the Fudan project should be held together with the parliamentary election set for April 3.
 
István Varga, a candidate of the Democratic Coalition, told a press conference on Thursday that “the government was obviously frightened” by the “huge number” of signatures supporting the referendum initiative, and insisted that it was a “democratic responsibility” of the government to allow the referendum to go ahead on the day requested.
 
Mihály Gér of the Párbeszéd party said the election office should “prove that it is not playing for time under pressure from above”. He argued that while civil activists had been able to count the signatures in a day, the office had been unable to do the same in four days. He called on the
 
authorities to complete the job and set the referendum for April 3.
Gergely Karácsony
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Gergely Karácsony
The opposition’s referendum will be a way to “give politics back to the people”, representatives of the united opposition said after collecting the signatures required to support the initiative.
 
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony told a press conference held in front of Parliament on Friday that implementing earlier plans to build a student accommodation complex in Budapest rather than a campus for China’s Fudan University was in the public interest. He also called for a “less tight-fisted” system for job-seekers.
 
Anna Orosz of the Momentum party referred to the large number of signatories supporting the referendum initiative, saying the united opposition had surmounted manifold difficulties in its bid to topple the current government, and it would do so again.
 
Erzsébet Gy. Németh of the Democratic Coalition said that the required number of signatures had been collected despite
 
“the government doing everything” to thwart the initiative.
 
She asked for continued support to ensure that “this country has a new, democratic government”.
 
 
Imre Komjáthi, deputy leader of the Socialist Party, said “deceitful government propaganda cannot cover up a crisis” in which people were struggling to make ends meet “while the government is busy stuffing their own pockets and those of its cronies”.
 
Párbeszéd co-leader Tímea Szabó said that
 
the collection of signatures for the opposition’s referendum drive had taken just 30 days,
 
and the referendum could be held at the same time as the general election on April 3. If President János Áder set a different date, this would “go against the will of Hungarian people”, she added.
 
LMP co-leader Máté Kanász-Nagy said that the referendum was “becoming more and more relevant”. He accused people close to the ruling Fidesz party of “looting without any inhibition”. After the press conference,
 
a human chain was formed to forward the signatures collected from Parliament square to the National Election Office’s seat nearby.
 
Miklás Szánthó, director of the Centre for Fundamental Rights, said on Friday that
 
the earliest possible date on which the referendum could be held was April 26.
 
He noted that the National Election Office had 60 days to review the supporting signatures, and its decision on their registration could be appealed at the Kuria, Hungary’s supreme court. Even if the election office’s decision is not challenged, it will only be official five days later and needs to be published in the official gazette Magyar Közlöny, Szánthó said.
 
If parliament were to approve the referendum in a fast-tracked procedure and if the referendum is not challenged at the Constitutional Court, it would still take until mid-February for parliament’s resolution to become official, enabling the president to set a date for the vote. Under Hungary’s election law, the vote would have to be held between 70 and 90 days thereafter.
fudan-university smapse
Read alsoNo Chinese university campus in Budapest? Green light given to referendum

Opposition referendum initiatives to be successful?

Opposition Gergely Karácsony
The referendum drive of the united opposition aimed at preventing a campus of Fudan University being built in Budapest and calling for an extended period of jobseekers’ allowance has garnered 170,000 signatures, the opposition parties said at a joint press conference on Friday.
 
Péter Márki-Zay, the prime ministerial candidate of the Socialist, Democratic Coalition (DK), Parbeszed, LMP, Jobbik and Momentum parties, said the referendum would show whether Hungarians wanted a “Chinese communist migrant university” in Budapest’s 9th district or the municipality’s original plans to build a student city providing affordable accommodation.
 
Commenting on trade and economic policy, Márki-Zay said the opposition was working towards “Hungary looking westwards rather than to the East, a country where competent economic policymaking keeps inflation in check rather than the government capping prices.”
 
“The true referendum”, he added, would be the general election on April 3, when Hungarians will vote “for or against Fidesz”.
 
 
Anna Orosz, a board member of the Momentum Movement, said: “Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is only interested in retaining power, not in people’s everyday problems.” She referred to the current weak level of the forint and wages which she said were worth less than in any other Visegrád Group country. Pensions, she added, had not grown since 2008. Meanwhile, the government was taking out “hundreds of billions in loans to build the Chinese Fudan university, exposing Hungarians to the despotic Chinese state,” she said.
 
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony said the referendum drive aimed to shape a country where “decisions would be made based on whether they served the interests of the Hungarian people.”
 
The Fudan University campus, he said, would “ruin a project that enjoyed bipartisan support”, namely housing for Hungarian students who are not residents of Budapest. The Student City would “lift the city and rural areas alike”, he said.
 
Extending the jobseekers’ allowance to 270 days from 90 days would show solidarity with people who found themselves in trouble, he said.
Péter Márki-Zay Opposition PM Candidate
Read alsoOpposition launches referendum signature drive in provincial cities

Top Court gives final green light for child protection referendum

Children Hungary
In a ruling posted on its website on Thursday, Hungary’s Constitutional Court rejected all claims against a planned referendum on Hungary’s child protection law, ruling that parliamentary approval of the referendum was in line with the constitution, according to Alapjogokért Központ, a think-tank.
 
The ruling cleared all legal hurdles from holding the referendum, the think-tank said on Facebook. The popular vote concerns the rights of parents over their children’s education. President Áder now has 15 days to set a date for the referendum, which must then be held within 70-90 days.
 
“Hungarian citizens can make decisions on issues that have a direct impact on their or their children’s lives such as the sex education of children, the promotion of gender reassignment surgery, and media content showing such interventions,” Alapjogokért said.
 
 
“Western political elites have basically adopted as official policy the madness called gender ideology without asking the people first,” the think-tank said.
 
Alapjogokért accused leftist parties of working “hand in hand with the network of Open Society”, a foundation set up by financier George Soros, to attack the referendum.
 
It added that opposition prime ministerial candidate Péter Márki-Zay had branded the referendum questions as “stupid”.
 
Hungary’s parliament passed amendments to its child protection law last June, aiming to protect children from “LGBTQ propaganda”.
 
The measure was condemned by the Venice Commission as incompatible with international human rights norms.
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Green opposition advocates referendum as ‘2nd step’ to change government

A referendum proposed by the opposition could be a second step towards changing the government following last year’s preselection of opposition candidates for prime minister, LMP deputy group leader Antal Csárdi told an online press conference on Tuesday.

The planned referendum is aimed at increasing the unemployment benefit from three months to nine, as well as thwarting plans to build a “Chinese elite university” in Budapest, Csárdi said.

The politician argued that

Hungary’s term of providing unemployment benefits was the shortest in Europe,

and demanded that job seekers should get “a decent amount of time” to find employment. He also insisted that the Fudan University project would obliterate earlier plans to build a hostel complex for some 10,000 students.

völner pál
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Opposition launches referendum signature drive in provincial cities

Péter Márki-Zay Opposition PM Candidate

Hungary’s opposition parties have launched a signature drive in provincial cities in a bid to hold a referendum on whether a campus for China’s Fudan University should be built and whether the jobseekers’ allowance should be extended to 270 days.

Péter Márki-Zay, the prime ministerial candidate of the joint opposition parties, at an event promoting the signature drive, said: “Healthy people in rural areas know exactly what the country’s real problems are … poverty, [high] mortality, and corruption.”

“The real problem is that under Viktor Orbán, Hungary has become the most corrupt country in the European Union, with the highest Covid mortality rate in the world, with three out of four Hungarians living below the EU poverty line,” he said.

read also: Hungary’s constitutional order under threat?

Regarding a student quarter planned in Budapest’s 9th district which the opposition says would be compromised by the government’s plan to build the Fudan campus, Márki-Zay said the issue at stake was whether voters preferred to allocate the funding to a project ensuring affordable housing for students from outside Budapest,

“or whether we want to give more money to a Chinese communist migrant university than to all Hungarian universities combined.”

read also: Hungary wants to give Europe a vision

Márki-Zay said the second question that the opposition wants to put to a popular vote is whether the jobseekers’ allowance should continue to be paid for 90 days in Hungary — “in which case we accept that it is the shortest such allowance in the European Union” — or whether it should be extended to 270 days.

Read alsoFidesz: EU openly intervenes in the general election

Opposition party submits amendment proposal for referendum on Fudan campus

china hungary flag

Opposition Párbeszéd has submitted to parliament an amendment proposal to the law governing referendums in Hungary with a view to changing a provision on deadlines, the party’s group leader said on Monday.

The amendment would scrap the provision which bans holding a national referendum within 41 days prior to a parliamentary election, Tímea Szabó told an online press conference. Párbeszéd submitted the motion with the aim of ensuring that a national referendum can be held before next spring’s parliamentary election on the issue of whether to prevent a property transfer to the planned campus of China’s Fudan University in Budapest.

Hungary’s National Election Committee approved last week a question submitted by the opposition mayor of Budapest for a referendum on Fudan University.

“But, if appeals are submitted to the committee’s decision, those will need to be evaluated by the Supreme Court, the Kúria,” Szabó said, adding that a referendum initiative would also have to go before parliament for a vote.

“These procedures with their timeframe and deadline rules would most certainly not allow for holding a national referendum until after the 2022 spring elections,” she said.

“If this were to be the case, it will be up to Hungarian voters to decide at next year’s ballot whether they support having a Chinese elite university be built with a 450 billion forint (EUR 1.3bn) Chinese loan, or a student city to accommodate students coming from outside the capital,”

Szabó said.

fudan-university smapse
Read alsoNo Chinese university campus in Budapest? Green light given to referendum