The Hungarian Parliament did not approve President László Sólyom’s two candidates for the data protection and future generation ombudsman posts during a voting held on the weekend, writes Népszabadság.
At least two-thirds of the votes would have been required for Attila Péterfalvi to remain data protection ombudsman and for Boldizsár Nagy to become the future generation ombudsman. During the secret voting, 207 MPs voted “yes” to Péterfalvi and 143 voted against him. Nagy received only 98 “yes” votes while 245 MPs voted against his appointment.
The failure of the President’s candidates was foreseen as it was commonly known that governing party MSZP objected to both of them. Although the governing party SZDSZ and opposition parties Fidesz, MDF and KDNP all indicated that they would support the appointment of the two applicants, it proved not to be enough.
Sólyom is convinced that both candidates suggested by him are professionally and personally competent. He stated that the voting resulted in a political and not a professional decision.
