Hungarian European Union membership referendum, 2003
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Hungarian European Union referendum took place on 12 April 2003 to decide whether Hungary
should join the European Union
(EU). Over 80% of those who voted supported membership and Hungary joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
in Copenhagen
in December 2002 Hungary was one of ten countries invited to join the EU in 2004. All major parties agreed that a binding referendum on membership was needed before Hungary could join the EU.
The National Assembly of Hungary
changed the rules on referendum
s in Hungary in 1997, the previous requirement that turnout
be over 50% was removed and instead the requirement became that over 25% of registered voters had to support a referendum. In December 2002 the Constitution
of Hungary was amended to enable a referendum on EU membership to take place. As part of the amendment it was agreed that the referendum would take place on 12 April 2003.
"Do you agree that Hungary should become a member of the European Union?"
to collapse.
Media coverage was overwhelmingly positive and a campaign was made to dispel popular misconceptions of EU membership. These included whether the eating of poppy seed
dumplings would be allowed in the EU and if only one size of condom
was available in the EU. Each of the four main parties also ran their own campaigns in support of the referendum.
The no camp was confined to some small groups which organised themselves into a 'Movement for a Free Hungary'. None of these groups were in the Hungarian parliament and thus were unable to get any state funding for their campaign. Most opponents stressed they were not against 'Europe
' but were objecting to the accession terms and the current form of the EU. However opinion poll
s during the campaign showed strong support for membership.
announced the result at a celebration on the banks of the Danube
telling them 'Allow me to officially announce that the Hungarian republic will be a member of the European Union.' The European Commission
welcomed the result as marking the end of Hungary's 'tragic separation from the European family of democratic nations.'
There was concern however at the turnout which was significantly below the 70% that had been hoped for. There was criticism that the danger of the referendum being invalid due to low turnout was not stressed during the campaign. The opposition criticised the government's campaign as being simplistic while the government accused the opposition of being lukewarm in their support for membership. However the yes vote at 38% of voters was comfortably above the 25% level required for the referendum to be valid.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
should join the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU). Over 80% of those who voted supported membership and Hungary joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
Background
Hungary submitted a membership application to the EU on 31 March 1994 and negotiations on entry began in 1998. At a summitEuropean Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in December 2002 Hungary was one of ten countries invited to join the EU in 2004. All major parties agreed that a binding referendum on membership was needed before Hungary could join the EU.
The National Assembly of Hungary
National Assembly of Hungary
The National Assembly or Diet is the parliament of Hungary. The unicameral body consists of 386 members elected to 4-year terms. Election of members is based on a complex system involving both area and list election; parties must win at least 5% of the popular vote in order to enter list members...
changed the rules on referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s in Hungary in 1997, the previous requirement that turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
be over 50% was removed and instead the requirement became that over 25% of registered voters had to support a referendum. In December 2002 the Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of Hungary was amended to enable a referendum on EU membership to take place. As part of the amendment it was agreed that the referendum would take place on 12 April 2003.
Referendum question
The question voted on in the referendum was:"Do you agree that Hungary should become a member of the European Union?"
- Hungarian: Egyetért-e azzal, hogy a Magyar Köztársaság az Európai Unió tagjává váljon?
Campaign
All of the major political parties in Hungary, the trade unions, business oragnisations, churches and media supported membership of the EU. However the main opposition party Fidesz, while supporting membership, warned that up to 100,000 jobs could be lost due to EU regulations and that foreign competition could cause some sectors of the economyEconomy of Hungary
The economy of Hungary is a medium-sized, structurally, politically and institutionally open economy in Central Europe and is part of the European Union's single market...
to collapse.
Media coverage was overwhelmingly positive and a campaign was made to dispel popular misconceptions of EU membership. These included whether the eating of poppy seed
Poppy seed
Poppy seed is an oilseed obtained from the opium poppy . The tiny kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years...
dumplings would be allowed in the EU and if only one size of condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
was available in the EU. Each of the four main parties also ran their own campaigns in support of the referendum.
The no camp was confined to some small groups which organised themselves into a 'Movement for a Free Hungary'. None of these groups were in the Hungarian parliament and thus were unable to get any state funding for their campaign. Most opponents stressed they were not against 'Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
' but were objecting to the accession terms and the current form of the EU. However opinion poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
s during the campaign showed strong support for membership.
Results
| Electorate | Spoilt votes | Turnout (%) | For (%) | Against (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,042,272 | 17,998 | 3,666,715 (45.6) | 3,056,027 (83.8) | 592,690 (16.2) |
| Source: The Hungarian EU Accession Referendum | ||||
Reactions
Prime Minister Péter MedgyessyPéter Medgyessy
Péter Medgyessy is a Hungarian politician and was the fifth Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary from May 27, 2002 until September 29, 2004...
announced the result at a celebration on the banks of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
telling them 'Allow me to officially announce that the Hungarian republic will be a member of the European Union.' The European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
welcomed the result as marking the end of Hungary's 'tragic separation from the European family of democratic nations.'
There was concern however at the turnout which was significantly below the 70% that had been hoped for. There was criticism that the danger of the referendum being invalid due to low turnout was not stressed during the campaign. The opposition criticised the government's campaign as being simplistic while the government accused the opposition of being lukewarm in their support for membership. However the yes vote at 38% of voters was comfortably above the 25% level required for the referendum to be valid.