Hungary’s President Laszlo Solyom returned a bill on the new civil code to Parliament without signing on Tuesday, the President’s Office told MTI.
In a letter to House Speaker Bela Katona, Solyom criticised the bill for lacking in form and content, and noted that the civil code is the most often used legislation in day-to-day life, which must be particularly well considered and it should stand the test of time. The new bill received over 230 amendment proposals, which were discussed over just an hour before the vote, which Solyom said had contributed to its imperfection.
Parliament approved the new civil code on September 21 with 191 in favour, 168 against and 4 abstentions. Most changes are in connection with marriage and inheritance laws, and incorporate much-debated new rules for registered partnerships, including those for same-sex couples.
