September 11th, 2012

Voter registration to start in September 2013, says Lázár

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Voluntary voter registration for next year’s general election will start on September 1, 2013 and last until two weeks before the election, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Monday.

Janos Lazar said all Hungarian citizens included in the population register will be sent an invitation to decide whether he or she wanted to cast their votes and whether they would do it in person or electronically, from abroad or in Hungary.

All citizens will be again contacted in November or December and those who have not yet registered will be once again warned that registration will be necessary to cast their vote, Lazar said.

In 2014, there will be no time restrictions on political campaigning, like there was in the past, Lazar added.

Lazar said that voter registration had to be introduced to enable an expected half a million new Hungarian citizens living abroad and 250-300 thousand Hungarians working in Western Europe to participate in the election.

Plans are afoot to ease voting for the 600,000 handicapped voters, he said adding that there would be a need for affirmative action in this case.

Lazar said that the number of eligible voters was expected to increase from 8 million in 2010 to 8.5-9 million by 2014.

Parliament is scheduled to start discussing the new bill on election procedures next Monday, he said. The new legislation is expected to clear Parliament in December and take effect on January 1, 2013, Lazar said.

The majority of campaign funding will come from the state, with each nominee to receive over 1 million forints, Lazar said. After the election, they will be expected to give detailed account of how this was utilised, he added. Lazar said regulations on this would be included in the new penal code. Additional funding can only be raised from private individuals and it must not be more than one third of total costs, he added.

Restrictions are planned on campaign methods, for instance a ban on commercials, but there will be free advertising offered in the public media, Lazar said.

The system of collecting nomination slips is planned to be eliminated and in line with international examples, MPs will be automatically allowed to run, and others will need to collect a hundred signatures to become eligible.

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  • Viking

    Voluntary voter registration for next year’s general election
    —

    2012 plus “next year” is 2013 for most of us non-Fidesz people
    In Whorbanistan it makes up 2014…

  • Viking

    Lazar said that voter registration had to be introduced to enable an expected half a million new Hungarian citizens living abroad and 250-300 thousand Hungarians working in Western Europe to participate in the election
    —

    Clearly these half million is seen as pro-Fidesz and that is the driving force for this registration
    The question is why these people need a registration, then when they got their new passports their addresses were registered

    I even had new Hungarians from the Ukraine, who had their new passports sent home to our home, then they did not want to show those passports to the Ukraine authorities, so the Hungarian authorities already have an address to these people (even in this case it is wrong, but the registration request to vote will go to our place anyway and the people, who now is no longer working with us, will not get it…)

    The reason for removing Hungarian citizens living in the country is strange, then why should anyone need to confirm their will to vote?
    Why not just assume everyone wants to vote?

    This seems like a typical Hungarian exercise in:
    * Increasing Public bureaucracy, then yet another register to register in

    * Make it hard as possible for people living in hardship to participate in the political process

    • Anonymous

      “they did not want to show those passports to the Ukraine authorities”…of course not. It is not legal for a Ukranian to hold a second citizenship

      • Viking

        Anonymous says:
        September 11, 2012 at 12:26 pm

        It is not legal for a Ukranian to hold a second citizenship
        —

        I believe you are wrong here

        It is not *illegal* to hold multiple citizenships, but in Ukraine *only* your Ukrainian one will matter, meaning that the Ukrainian authorities will not respect your claim to be treated as a foreigner, like US citizen, if caught in the Ukraine (if you had both citizenships)

        If you have an Ukrainian citizenship, you are Ukrainian and the others do not matter

        See the official website for details:
        (-http://www.mfa.gov.ua/mfa/en/273.htm)

        This is a clear difference from Slovakia, Czech Republic and Austria, where if they get hold of you holding another citizenship, they strip you of theirs
        And that is a BIG difference

  • Viking

    Restrictions are planned on campaign methods, for instance a ban on commercials, but there will be free advertising offered in the public media, Lazar said
    —

    Of course and as in 2002, all State Media will be openly biased for the sitting Government

    Fidesz has done this before, which draw criticism from the EU and changing the Media Law became necessary before 2004, and there is no reason to believe PimpMaster Whorban will make it any different this time

    Expect to see long and detailed “unbiased TV-documentaries” in all State Media on MSZP as the continuation of MSZMP and the demonstrations in the Autumn of 2006, just before the elections…

  • Aloof

    Does this include these guys too? What about American and Canadian Hungarians? Where and when did that word “voluntary” come from all of a sudden?

    Asked why it was important for his country to have a strong relationship with Israel, Martonyi said “because we have an extremely important Jewish community, on the one hand, and on the other hand we have 200,000 Hungarian citizens living in Israel.”

  • Aloof

    Does this include these guys too? What about American and Canadian Hungarians? Where and when did that word “voluntary” come from all of a sudden?

    Asked why it was important for his country to have a strong relationship with Israel, Martonyi said “because we have an extremely important J*wish community, on the one hand, and on the other hand we have 200,000 Hungarian citizens living in Israel.”

  • Democrat

    I love the way democracy works in Orbanistan. The thuggish looking Lazar announces how things will be and a week later the MP’S go through the motions of debating the bill (whilst using their government supplied laptops to chat with their friends on facebook). Opposition voices are then shouted down and the loyal soldiers press the ‘igen’ button when told. Voting on something which most of them have not even read. Several months later the EU/Constitutional Court/FT/Venice Committee or similar, point out some basic failing. The failing is corrected and at the same time FIDESZ slip in some devious additional twist.

    • Anonymous

      Sounds like some of the more established democratic countries to me.

  • Oingo Boingo

    The sad irony is that I have lived and worked in Hungary for many years, pay my taxes, and have no say in the decision who runs the country.

    Whereas someone of Hungarian ethnicity (however that is decided), who never lived in the Hungarian state, whose parents never lived in it either, who never worked here, or paid taxes here, can decide who sets the laws and taxes that I have to live by (and them not).

    I also cannot vote in my home country’s elections because there one can vote only if a resident. Rightly so in my opinion. I don’t have to live there, why should I have a vote.

    Maybe I will apply to register next year and see what happens.

    • Leto مؤدّب

      You can vote in the local elections provided you come from an EU country. Like I did when I lived and worked in the UK.
      Voting in the general elections is tied to citizenship elsewhere, too.

      Ceterum censeo MSZP delendum est.

    • Leto مؤدّب

      “Maybe I will apply to register next year and see what happens.”

      What will happen, if you are not a Hungarian citizen, is that your registration will be rejected.
      However feel free to apply for citizenship, here are the conditions for foreign nationalities of non-Hungarian descent: -http://www.ujpest.hu/hivatal_ugy/234

      • Curious George

        @Leto – thanks for the info.
        Now, which category would apply to me? Hmmmm! Seeing how you saw anyone from a non-European/non-western country is in Hungary for a better life, I’ll guess I’ll try under the refugee category. Please sir, would you be my sponsor? ;) (I’d ask Magyar, but I think he’s not too happy with me now :) )

        • Magyar

          You came to Hungary for a better life?

          And can you at least tell us the continent you are from, or maybe skin tone ;) i am just curious where you are from.

          • Curious George

            “tell us …, or maybe skin tone”.
            Which part? -http://tinyurl.com/ye79mf

          • justasking,

            @Magyar,

            Don’t tell him I told you this…he’s from Narnia.

        • Leto مؤدّب

          Which category? This is really for you to decide.

          Well, first of all you must have no criminal record in Hungary (“büntetlen előélet”). Ticked this off?
          Accomodation, sufficient legal income ensured?
          Do you pass the national security criteria? (“A honosítás nem sértheti a Magyar Köztársaság érdekeit.”) Well? ;)
          Have you passed the required exam, in the Hungarian language, on “alkotmányos alapismeretek”? (basic knowledge about Hungary’s constitution).

          1/ Now all you have to do is if you are resident in Hungary for three years and
          a/ you’re married to a Hungarian citizen
          or
          b/ you’ve got a child (under 18) who is a Hungarian citizen
          or
          c/ you’ve been adopted by a Hungarian citizen (no, I’m not going to adopt you)
          or
          d/ you’ve been recognized as a refugee

          2/ In case you’re either
          a/ a stateless person
          or
          b/ you were born in Hungary
          or
          c/ you immigrated to Hungary when you were a minor
          then you need only five years of residence.

          3/ Otherwise you need 8 years of (uninterrupted) residence.

          Oh, well, perhaps you should have born with Hungarian ancestors.. :p

          BTW, as far as I remember these are very similar conditions to obtaining the UK citizenship. (An Italian guy, that is EU-citizen, I worked with applied for it and then we discussed this topic.)

          So you’re thinking about category 1/d. Let me assure you that you don’t need me at all to obtain this status. No sponsor needed. :) You merely need to prove the UN conventions do apply to you.(E.g. your life was in danger in your country, you didn’t pass another country where you could apply for being a refugee, etc.)

          Good luck! :D Er.. how about moving to another country? ;)

          Ceterum censeo MSZP delendum est.

          • Curious George

            No, I don’t have a criminal record (yet), but having read what you wrote, I think everything just seems too complicated using the legislated route.
            I think it’s easier for me to commit a serious crime back home, say hacking someone (like Magyar) with an axe, and then fleeing to Hungary to claim refugee status. OV could then redeem his international image by giving me refuge under EU laws (which forbid extradition, if the potential penalty under law is death, as it is back home). He could also repair relations with the Azeris & Armenians by giving me a promotion & a flat :)

          • Magyar

            Hahah, we are onto death threats now?

            Well, since your country is run by a congolese Warlord, I shouldnt imagine there are two many laws there.

          • Curious George

            @Gaymar – what death threats? When exterminating nuisances like mosquitos, cockroaches, rats (or you), one doesn’t need to issue death threats. Axing is just a “figure of speech” used in dealing with pests.

            btw, congolese is spelt with a capital C!

          • Leto مؤدّب

            @CG:

            Well, I’d say it’s quite a convoluted method. You must know that both the Armenians and the Azeris hailed only those killers as heroes who killed somebody they considered enemy.
            How would you find such a suitable person in Narnia, that is someone who’d be an enemy to both countries? What deed do you think would earn this unique status? Do you think it would do the trick if your would-be victim stole all the banana from both countries? (Just to mention a Narnian special skill.)

            Ceterum censeo MSZP delendum est.

          • Magyar

            CG, sorry to tell you, but most cochroaches in Europe ceased to exist after 1945, too bad the “Porajmos” never managed finnish it off :D

            Although in case a crazy Hungarista gets into power with a coup,I would run if I was you, since it would be SUCH a shame if you and your wife were mistaken for gypsies :D

            And I know its C, but I spell african countries with lower case letters.

  • olga

    @ Oingo Bongo

    How is the weather a Balatonon? I was wondering if you would be eligible for Hungarian citizenship because my understanding is that the UK allows dual citizenship as long as you continue paying UK taxes

    I certainly believe that you have more right to have a vote than someone like me and if I do have that right (not sure) I would never exercise it

  • Oingo Boingo

    @ Olga, Tegnapig very szép volt the weather a Balatonon, ma rainy. De probably nem vagyok the personról you are thinking :)

    @Leto, right I can vote in local elections and European elections here in Hungary, however those bodies do not decide the laws of the land and the tax rates, the two things that I would like to have an influence on through voting for a member of parliament. You are right, other countries allow citizens living abroad to vote, a nice example is the US. However unlike Hungary these countries are no actively putting in place measures to encourage non-citizens not living in the country to register as citizens. In fact, most governments would run a mile from such an idea, because it can risk an unstable aspect to the democracy. For example, if Irish citizens living in America were able to vote and did so, the sheer number of them would create a severe imbalance on the balance of power in the country.

    • Leto مؤدّب

      @Oingo Boingo:

      Well, I think you’ll just have to accept that voting in Hungarian general elections is tied to citizenship. Do feel free to apply if you meet the criteria (see my post above). :)

      Ceterum censeo MSZP delendum est.

    • MagyarViking

      Oingo Boingo says:
      September 13, 2012 at 1:31 pm

      I can vote in local elections and European elections here in Hungary, however those bodies do not decide the laws of the land and the tax rates, the two things that I would like to have an influence on through voting for a member of parliament
      —

      Given the strive for a more federal EU, as its President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, expressed yesterday, a need for more of a tax and finance union, National taxes will be downsized

      Naturally should be that people living in a spot, inside the EU, should vote there and that should be on all levels all the way up to the European Parliament (EP)

      The meaning of the traditional National Parliaments can be split into two parts;
      a) Keeper of ethnic traditions
      Here Fidesz would have its work cut of for themselves
      Here ethnicity should play a role when voting

      b) Regional assembly
      Only who lives inside the region should be able to vote

      This is not how it works today, but hopefully 20 years later, which actually is a rather short time

  • olga

    @ Oingo Bongo and Viking

    OB – re: ” @ Olga, Tegnapig very szép volt the weather a Balatonon, ma rainy. De probably nem vagyok the personról you are thinking ”

    Oh, sorry, I did think you were someone else who used rather creative names for his postings but if you need a reference stating you met the language requirements, i would be happy to vouch for you

    Viking, you have Hungarian children and a terrific Hungarian wife who puts up with you when you have a lapse in political over correctness (new term) so you would be eligible for Hungarian citizenship, although I don’t know if Sweden allows it. You once mentioned that your Mom lives in Hungary so she would meet the eligibility requirements if she lived there for 8 years provided she meets the language requirements, right?

    • MagyarViking

      Thanks, but in the current climate, the thought of getting an Hungarian citizenship is not on my priority list

      To get out of Hungary is more on my children’s priority list though, so I really wonder if me and the wife will be the only ones left in Hungary (of our family) 5 years later…

      The good part is that I can move my business inside 5 minutes anywhere in the world, but everything we have invested here the last 15 years is the problem and I do not see any good buyer coming up for the next 3-5 years minimum, so getting more involved/integrated into the current Hungarian society is not really an option
      More cementing an exit strategy, but we will see the 2014 elections (if they even will happen)

      • Anonymous

        Rather lousy excuses. You should work harder than this to get lost from Hungary asap

        • MagyarViking

          Do you have any good Price/Performance villas around 500 sqm, with low monthly cost, good standard, including inhouse swimmingpool (min 20 cubicmetres), spa department and a good real wine-cellar, in your neighbourhood?

          A small tower is a must and the place must have a view, preferable water-side

          Well, I am always looking out for a good offer, so who knows, maybe we could become neighbours?

          • MagyarViking

            * The Fidesz-controlled Hungarian State News Agency MTI lies to us using tax payers money*

          • Magyar

            Hey Viking, want to be my neigbour?

  • Lex

    Ah voter registration…it’s time for a boatload of dead people to vote, like in good ol’ USA.

    • Leto مؤدّب

      You have to identify yourself with a photo ID, and with your authorized signature on that ID card, in Hungary in order to vote, regardless of the current “passive voter registration” or the proposed “active voter registration”

      Ceterum censeo MSZP delendum est.

  • roulseSouff

    Hello. And Bye.

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