Domestic and Economic Policy Brief
One unicameral National Assembly containing comprised of 386 members, each for a term of four years, governs Hungary, a Republic. This National Assembly then in turn votes for a President of the Republic, who has a term of five years and may run for a second (Europa 1691). However, the highest authority lies in the Council of Ministers. The National Assembly elects this body, at the recommendation of the President. Hungary has 19 counties and a state capitol for a total of twenty local bodies. Within each county there are more lower levels of government, including town, borough and town precinct (Europa 1698).
The judicial system has a number of levels from district to county to the Supreme Court of Hungary. The Supreme Court judges are elected for a period of nine years, and are elected by he general voting population. There is universal suffrage for all citizens over the age of 18 (http://www.oacl.gov/cia/publications/factbook/nu/html). The National Assembly elects the Head of the Supreme Court.
The last election held was on May 10th and May 24th, 1998. The results of that election are the following (results being seat held by party in the General Assembly): Hungarian Civic Party, 147 seats; Hungarian Socialist Party, 134 seats; Independent Smallholders' and Peasants' party, 48 seats; Alliance of Free Democrats, 24 seats; Hungarian Democratic Forum, 18 seats, Hungarian Justice and Life Party, 14 seats; and independent holds the final seat (Europa 1699).
The recent election is of historical concern due to the results of the Civic party (HCP), which holds the most seats ever by a single party, and with co-operation from the Hungarian Democratic Forum (HDF) and the Independe...
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...oors to recently. Hungary has made a multitude of steps to lowering trade barriers. These include application for the EU and NATO. Furthermore it has set up agreements with the EFTA, and was admitted to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (Europa 1691).
The IMF announced in early 1998 that it is taking its stand by credit arrangement away and allowing Hungary to pursue a more independent stabilization process. However, in order to do this the Hungarian government publicized that it would curtail its program for major tax reductions, in order to preserve the newfound economic stability (Europa 1691).
Bibliography:
Works Cited
The Europa World Yearbook 1999. Europe Publications Limited: London, 1999.
(http://www.oacl.gov/cia/publications/factbook/nu/html)
(http://users.zetnet.co.uk/spamy/h_20.htm)