FOREWORD

The President of the Republic of Hungary has called the general election of the members and mayors of local governments for 20 October 2002, Sunday. After several decades under centralised party state rule, the country reinstated the institution of self-government in 1990. In the course of our history self-governments have always been the key venues of the people’s will, what is more, important defenders of our country’s sovereignty. In today’s Hungary it is the system of self-government that allows for the community of local voters to administer a wide range of local affairs by using this basic democratic means. Self-governance is an institution protected by the constitution; the development of its legal background has been greatly influenced by the European Charter of Local Self-Governments. 

On election day, we may elect, in addition to the mayors and the body of representatives of settlements, not only county and metropolitan local governments and the Mayor in Budapest, but, in the spirit of extending democracy, for the third time since the change of regime, also local governments for minorities.

Foreign inquirers and our guests may receive direct and authentic information about the events of the elections through various TV channels and the Internet. To further their inquiry, the National Election Committee supports the work of foreign election specialists, observers and the representatives of the media in the traditional way as well. The aim of the present publication is to provide detailed information on the complex structure and operation of the Hungarian local governmental election system.

Since the 1998 local elections, no meritorious changes have taken place in electoral legislature related to voters, candidates or nominating organisations, thus, the legal environment that became known four years ago will serve as the background of the elections of 2002 too.
At the elections of the members and mayors of local governments and the local minority municipality representatives the following rules of law shall apply.

- Articles, 44, 70, 71 of Act XX of 1949 on the Constitution of the Republic of Hungary;

- Act LXIV of 1990 on the Election of the Members and Mayors of Local Governments;

- Act LXXVII of 1993 on the Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities;

- Act C of 1997 on Electoral Procedure;

- Act LXV of 1990 on Local Governments;

- Act XCVI of 2000 on the Specific Issues of the Legal Status of Municipality Representatives;

- Act LXIV of 1994 on Specific Issues of Fulfilling the Post of the Mayor and the Fee of Representatives of Local Governments;

- Decree 18/2002.(VII.24.) of the Minister of the Interior on ascertaining the procedural terms and deadlines of the elections of the members and mayors of local governments as well as the members of local governments for minorities called for 20 October 2002;

- Decree 20/2002.(VIII.1.) of the Minister of the Interior on the implementation of Act C of 1997 on Electoral Procedure at the election of the members and mayors of local governments;

- Decree 10/1998. (II. 20.) of the Minister of the Interior on the administrative service fees to be paid for supply of election data.

Out of the rules of law listed above, the ones of key importance are available also in English in the Appendix and via the Web sites described in the guideline.

We hope that our publication will give efficient help to observers who arrive to Hungary, further widening the publicity of the elections beyond the borders of our country.

Emília Rytkó                   
Head of the National Election Office