Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Encyclopedia
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia
, for the ethnic Hungarian minority
. It was led by Pál Csáky
(formerly led by Béla Bugár
), until the parliamentary election of 12 June 2010
where it failed to acquire 5% of the popular vote, the threshold necessary for entering the National Council of the Slovak Republic
. In response, Csáky and the whole party leadership resigned.
The party became a member of the European People's Party
(EPP) in 7 June 2000. In the European Parliament, its MEPs sit in the EPP-ED Group.
, and had won 10.2% of the vote. To comply with the new law, the three parties – the Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement, Coexistence, and the Hungarian Civic Party – merged to form the Party of the Hungarian Coalition.
Following the 2002 parliamentary election in Slovakia, the Party of the Hungarian Coalition joined the Slovak governing coalition for the second time (after the 1998–2002 term), obtained 321,069 votes (11.16% of all votes), and was the most stable political party in the governing coalition. At the EU parliament election in 2004 the party won 13.24% of the vote.
The party had 4 ministers (Pál Csáky
– Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minority Rights, László Miklós – Minister of Environment, László Gyurovszky
– Minister of Construction and Regional Development and Zsolt Simon – Minister of Agriculture) and 6 state secretaries (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Construction and Regional Development) in the Slovak government. Béla Bugár
, the president of the Party of the Hungarian Coalition at that time, was the Vice President of the National Council of the Slovak Republic.
In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006
, the party won 11.7 % of the popular vote and 20 out of 150 seats, but lost its participation in the government.
In the parliamentary election of 12 June 2010
, the party missed the 5% border needed for participation in parliament by receiving 4.33% and lost its position in parliament.
The party also pays attention to the protection of rights of other minorities living in Slovakia. László Nagy, for example, MP and one-time Chairman of the Slovak parliament's Committee for Human Rights, Minorities and the Position of Women, has advocated for a solution to the problems facing the Roma. Also indicative of the party's approach, it supports political and civic equality for Roma, but also advocates cuts in the social welfare to which Roma, like other citizens, are entitled.
Each elected functionary and body gets elected in form of democratic, secret elections. The party leadership of the districts co-ordinates the work of local institutions within district.
Between 1998 and 2007 the party chairman was Béla Bugár
. The Chairman of the National Council was Zsolt Komlósy, the Parliamentary Group Leader is Gyula Bárdos and Executive Deputy Chairman is Miklós Duray. Pál Csáky
was the chairman of the Minister’s Club.
On 31 March 2007 Pál Csáky
was elected for chairman by the assembly of party, thus succeeding the more moderate Béla Bugár.
Béla Bugár established the party Híd–Most on 30 June 2009, stating that Csáky was too nationalist. His new party (its name means "bridge" in Hungarian and Slovak) wants to emphasise cooperation between Hungarians and Slovaks.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, for the ethnic Hungarian minority
Hungarians in Slovakia
Hungarians in Slovakia are the largest ethnic minority of the country, numbering 520,528 people or 9.7% of population . They are concentrated mostly in the southern part of the country, near the border with Hungary...
. It was led by Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky is a Slovak politician, member of Hungarian minority in Slovakia and the country's former Deputy Prime Minister for European affairs, human rights and minorities. Csáky has been an activist for the Hungarian minority in Slovakia since 1977 . His political activity started in 1989, and he...
(formerly led by Béla Bugár
Béla Bugár
is a Slovak politician of Hungarian ethnicity. He is a member of the Slovak parliament since 1992, briefly serving as its acting Speaker in 2006. He is the leader of the political party Most-Híd....
), until the parliamentary election of 12 June 2010
Slovak parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election took place in Slovakia on 12 June 2010. The elections were contested by eighteen parties, six of which passed the 5% threshold for sitting in parliament...
where it failed to acquire 5% of the popular vote, the threshold necessary for entering the National Council of the Slovak Republic
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
. In response, Csáky and the whole party leadership resigned.
The party became a member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
(EPP) in 7 June 2000. In the European Parliament, its MEPs sit in the EPP-ED Group.
History
The party was founded in 1998 in response to an anti-coalition law passed. The law prevented parties from forming electoral cartels at election time, which small parties had used to overcome the 5% electoral threshold. Three parties representing the Hungarian minority had formed such a cartel, called 'Hungarian Coalition' in the 1994 electionSlovak parliamentary election, 1994
The 1994 parliamentary elections in Slovakia took place on September 30 and October 1, 1994.It was a premature election that became necessary after the Vladimír Mečiar 1992 government had been recalled in March 1994 by the parliament and a new temporary government under Jozef Moravčík had been...
, and had won 10.2% of the vote. To comply with the new law, the three parties – the Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement, Coexistence, and the Hungarian Civic Party – merged to form the Party of the Hungarian Coalition.
Following the 2002 parliamentary election in Slovakia, the Party of the Hungarian Coalition joined the Slovak governing coalition for the second time (after the 1998–2002 term), obtained 321,069 votes (11.16% of all votes), and was the most stable political party in the governing coalition. At the EU parliament election in 2004 the party won 13.24% of the vote.
The party had 4 ministers (Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky is a Slovak politician, member of Hungarian minority in Slovakia and the country's former Deputy Prime Minister for European affairs, human rights and minorities. Csáky has been an activist for the Hungarian minority in Slovakia since 1977 . His political activity started in 1989, and he...
– Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minority Rights, László Miklós – Minister of Environment, László Gyurovszky
László Gyurovszky
László Gyurovszky is former Minister of Construction and Regional Development of Slovakia. He graduated at Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Slovak Technical College . After studies, he worked in chemical industry, in Duslo Šaľa...
– Minister of Construction and Regional Development and Zsolt Simon – Minister of Agriculture) and 6 state secretaries (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Construction and Regional Development) in the Slovak government. Béla Bugár
Béla Bugár
is a Slovak politician of Hungarian ethnicity. He is a member of the Slovak parliament since 1992, briefly serving as its acting Speaker in 2006. He is the leader of the political party Most-Híd....
, the president of the Party of the Hungarian Coalition at that time, was the Vice President of the National Council of the Slovak Republic.
In the parliamentary election of 17 June 2006
Slovak parliamentary election, 2006
The 2006 parliamentary elections in Slovakia took place on Saturday June 17, 2006. The voters selected 150 representatives for the National Council of the Slovak Republic. The highest number of seats, 50, was won by left-wing party Direction - Social Democracy led by Robert Fico. In total, six...
, the party won 11.7 % of the popular vote and 20 out of 150 seats, but lost its participation in the government.
In the parliamentary election of 12 June 2010
Slovak parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election took place in Slovakia on 12 June 2010. The elections were contested by eighteen parties, six of which passed the 5% threshold for sitting in parliament...
, the party missed the 5% border needed for participation in parliament by receiving 4.33% and lost its position in parliament.
Ideology
Although the Party of Hungarian Coalition consistently maintains a narrowly neoliberal (or liberal conservative) approach to policy, it claims as to represent the entire Hungarian community in Slovakia, with the objective of strengthening their legal status and ensuring them an equal position in the society.The party also pays attention to the protection of rights of other minorities living in Slovakia. László Nagy, for example, MP and one-time Chairman of the Slovak parliament's Committee for Human Rights, Minorities and the Position of Women, has advocated for a solution to the problems facing the Roma. Also indicative of the party's approach, it supports political and civic equality for Roma, but also advocates cuts in the social welfare to which Roma, like other citizens, are entitled.
Organisation
The primary party organisations make up the basis of the party. By the end of March 2003, the number of these local organisations was 521 and the number of members was 10,983. The party congress is the highest body of the party. Between two congresses the highest body of the party is the National Council.Each elected functionary and body gets elected in form of democratic, secret elections. The party leadership of the districts co-ordinates the work of local institutions within district.
Between 1998 and 2007 the party chairman was Béla Bugár
Béla Bugár
is a Slovak politician of Hungarian ethnicity. He is a member of the Slovak parliament since 1992, briefly serving as its acting Speaker in 2006. He is the leader of the political party Most-Híd....
. The Chairman of the National Council was Zsolt Komlósy, the Parliamentary Group Leader is Gyula Bárdos and Executive Deputy Chairman is Miklós Duray. Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky is a Slovak politician, member of Hungarian minority in Slovakia and the country's former Deputy Prime Minister for European affairs, human rights and minorities. Csáky has been an activist for the Hungarian minority in Slovakia since 1977 . His political activity started in 1989, and he...
was the chairman of the Minister’s Club.
On 31 March 2007 Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky
Pál Csáky is a Slovak politician, member of Hungarian minority in Slovakia and the country's former Deputy Prime Minister for European affairs, human rights and minorities. Csáky has been an activist for the Hungarian minority in Slovakia since 1977 . His political activity started in 1989, and he...
was elected for chairman by the assembly of party, thus succeeding the more moderate Béla Bugár.
Béla Bugár established the party Híd–Most on 30 June 2009, stating that Csáky was too nationalist. His new party (its name means "bridge" in Hungarian and Slovak) wants to emphasise cooperation between Hungarians and Slovaks.