Government and Politics of Hungary

Government Type

parliamentary democracy

Administrative Divisions

19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties* (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city** (fovaros); Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Bekescsaba*, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Budapest**, Csongrad, Debrecen*, Dunaujvaros*, Eger*, Fejer, Gyor*, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Hodmezovasarhely*, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Kaposvar*, Kecskemet*, Komarom-Esztergom, Miskolc*, Nagykanizsa*, Nograd, Nyiregyhaza*, Pecs*, Pest, Somogy, Sopron*, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Szeged*, Szekesfehervar*, Szolnok*, Szombathely*, Tatabanya*, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Veszprem*, Zala, Zalaegerszeg*

Legal System

rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: No Citizenship by descent only: At least one parent must be a citizen of Hungary Dual citizenship recognized: Yes Residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Tamas SULYOK (since 5 March 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 29 May 2010, reappointed most recently on 24 May 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held on 26 February 2024 (next to be held in 2029); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; election last held 24 May 2022 election results: Tamas SULYOK elected president without opposition following the resignation of Katalin NOVAK; Viktor ORBAN elected prime minister following the April 2022 legislative elections in which his Fidesz-KDNP alliance won a fourth consecutive supermajority note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of the legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the third round; the president serves a largely ceremonial role, with executive power resting primarily with the prime minister

Legislative Branch

unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (199 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a mixed system combining single-member constituencies and party list proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - Fidesz-KDNP 54.13%, United for Hungary opposition alliance 34.44%, Mi Hazank 5.88%, other 5.55%; seats by party - Fidesz-KDNP 135, United for Hungary 57, Mi Hazank 6, Democratic Coalition 1

Judicial Branch

Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms)

Political Parties

Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman]

Head of State

President Tamas SULYOK

Head of Government

Prime Minister Viktor ORBAN (since 29 May 2010, reappointed most recently on 24 May 2022)

Cabinet

Council of Ministers prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president; other ministers proposed by the prime minister and appointed and relieved of their duties by the president

Elections

last held 3 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2026)

Election Results

In the April 2022 parliamentary elections, Fidesz-KDNP secured a commanding victory with 54.13% of the vote, retaining its supermajority in the National Assembly. The United for Hungary opposition alliance received 34.44%, while the far-right Mi Hazánk Mozgalom entered parliament for the first time with 5.88%. Other parties accounted for the remaining 5.55% of the vote. In terms of seats, Fidesz-KDNP won 135 seats, the United for Hungary alliance took 57 seats, Mi Hazánk secured 6 seats, and the Democratic Coalition retained 1 seat as an individual constituency winner outside the alliance framework.

Constitution

18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system

Independence

1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National Holiday

Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

International Organization Participation

Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Capital City

Budapest

Location

47 30 N, 19 05 E

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

The Hungarian capital city was formed in 1873 from the merger of three cities on opposite banks of the Danube: Buda and Obuda (Old Buda) on the western shore and Pest on the eastern; the origins of the original names are obscure, but according to the second century A.D. geographer, Ptolemy, the settlement that would become Pest was called "Pession" in ancient times; "Buda" may derive from either a Slavic or Turkic personal name

The U.S. Embassy in Budapest Szabadság tér 12 H-1054 Budapest Main Telephone: (36)(1) 475-4400 U.S. Citizen Services Telephone: (36)(1) 475-4164 After-hours emergency calls -- for U.S. citizens only: (36)(1) 475-4400. Fax (36)(1) 475-4188 or (36)(1) 475-4113 Email: acs.budapest@state.gov

Military Branches

Hungarian Defense Forces: Land Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML)

Service Age and Obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; 6-month service obligation