Are newly drawn constituencies deliberate electoral fraud?

The chairman of the Justice Committee in parliament justified the proposal with demographic shifts. The National Electoral Office (NVI) had previously asked Parliament to redesign the constituencies in such a way that their size once again meets the legal requirements. Accordingly, the number of registered voters may deviate from the national average by a maximum of 15% in both directions; if the deviation in a constituency reaches 20%, Parliament is obliged to take corrective action.

The Justice Committee took up the matter and is now requesting an update along these lines. In addition, the recounting of votes cast should be possible in future, even if there is no violation of the law, if the difference between the two first-placed candidates is within a narrow margin of less than 0.5% or 100 votes. With the bill, the governing parties are adhering to the clause according to which such interventions in electoral law must be made by January 1 of the year prior to the elections in question (i.e. by January 1, 2025 for the next parliamentary elections).

In the parliamentary debate, DK criticized that in countries where democracy is taken seriously, such proposals are prepared conscientiously. “The unilateral redrawing of constituencies is in itself a serious violation of basic democratic principles,” said Gergely Arató. There was no discussion about the need to create two new constituencies in Pest County. On average, there are 71,000 voters per constituency nationwide, 68,000 in Budapest, but only 60,000 in Somogy County and 57,000 in Tolna County. In Budapest, the average figures will be far above average in future, “and all because Fidesz has lost the capital”.

The MSZP also sees the bill as unilaterally serving the interests of Fidesz. The aim is not only to win back Budapest, but also to reduce the capital’s share and thus the political influence of the people of Budapest. Ágnes Kunhalmi was able to deduce from her own example as a member of parliament that her constituency “was quartered for no good reason”. There is a lack of transparency and “because the principle of proportionality is further violated, we can justifiably speak of electoral fraud with regard to the actual intention”.

Linking voting rights to school-leaving qualifications

With the best will in the world, Jobbik cannot recognize the intention of the governing parties to ensure that the votes of citizens weigh equally everywhere. For example, a new electoral district stretches from Budakalász to Zsámbék and municipalities that are not neighboring were also added to Szentendre. Meanwhile, no corrections are being made in Somogy. Koloman Brenner spoke out in favor of a return to elections with two rounds, as this would create “natural alliances”. Finally, Hungarians who have emigrated to the West should be given the right to vote online.

Párbeszéd mocked that Fidesz had organized a “painting competition” in order to maintain its own power. The “ruble right” (alluding to the Fidesz PR of the “dollar left”) is so worried about the outcome of the 2026 elections that it submitted a 60-page bill in the middle of the night so that the opposition would certainly not have a chance to work through the proposals.

Mi Hazánk sees “the institutionalized form of legalized electoral fraud”, even if the reallocation of a constituency away from Budapest in favour of Pest County is fine. István Apáti once again called for the right to vote to be linked to a school-leaving certificate. “If eight grades are required for a driver’s license, why doesn’t that apply to a decision regarding the future of the country?”