Hungary: Holding back the tiers

• Main Author: BENOIT, Kenneth
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2006
• Subjects: Electoral reform; Hungarian politics; Majoritarianism; Mixed system; Proportional representation; Two-round system; Eastern European Studies; Political Science
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/4020; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5278/viewcontent/11_Hungary_HoldBackTiers_Gallagher_chap11_av.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Hungary has a particularly complicated electoral system: a type of mixed system that incorporates three tiers of seat allocation, the use of a proportional allocation formula, and the allocation of a number of seats by a two-round system in single-member constituencies. Examination of the strategic incentives facing parties explains some surprising outcomes, such as the majoritarian impact on the party system and the possibility of the second strongest party in votes becoming the strongest in seats. Despite its complexity and alleged shortcomings, it is unlikely to be abandoned; it serves the interests of the largest parties, and these effectively wield a veto over electoral reform.