Kocsis: State financing mechanism for parliamentary parties to change

“Everyone’s participation is needed to protect Hungary’s achievements, and this includes all political parties,” Mate Kocsis of the ruling party said.

Kocsis noted that under the bill, 3 billion forints (EUR 7.5m) would be drawn away from left-wing parties and 2 billion forints from right-wing parties. “If the current rules were to remain unchanged, the parties would cost this much more.”

He said the allocation for each parliamentary group would be reduced and the method for calculating party financing would better reflect each parties’ election performance. Individual parliamentary groups will not be eligible for support. Rather, financing will depend on the composition of joint lists fielded at the general election, he said, adding that the new arrangements would better reflect the will of voters because party financing would be calculated in proportion to seats won on the basis of joint election lists instead of the way individual parliamentary groups are formed.