Mechanics of parliamentary vote under scrutiny

A simple vote of no-confidence in a prime minister is not enough to unseat him, under Hungarian law, as the only way a head of government can be removed against his will is via a proposal of "constructive no-confidence," as laid down in the Constitution at the time of the change of regime.

Such a vote may be initiated by one-fifth of MPs, who must simultaneously name a new candidate for prime minister. The election of that candidate requires only a simple majority of MPs.

The procedure has never been used in the past 16 years. The possibility arose before Péter Medgyessy was ousted in 2004, but he resigned of his own free will, thereby ending the cabinet's mandate. Ferenc Gyurcsány then received a parliamentary majority to form a new government.

The above story is just one of more than two dozen published today by Hungary Around the Clock, the most comprehensive source of daily English-language news about Hungary. For a free trial of HATC, click here. Hungarian news sources include Népszabadság; Magyar Hírlap; Világgazdaság; Napi Gazdaság; Magyar Nemzet; Népszava; Kossuth Rádió news and Hungarian television's nightly news broadcast.

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