Majority of Hungarians want strong government: new poll

Apr 21, 2010, 16:16 GMT

Budapest - More than half of Hungarians think a centre-right government with a two-thirds majority would be a good thing, the pollster Perspective Institute reported on Wednesday - four days before the second round of general elections.

Such a supermajority would give Fidesz, the conservative party led by the charismatic Viktor Orbán, the power to amend Hungary's constitution and make major structural reforms, for example to the electoral system and media law.

While 57 per cent were in favour, only 27 per cent of respondents in the poll said they thought it would be bad for Hungary if Fidesz emerged as clear winner after the first round of voting on April 11 were to secure such a mandate.

Fidesz has already secured an outright majority with 206 of 386 seats in Hungary's parliament after the first round of voting on April 11.

With 57 constituencies undecided after first round voting where candidates needed to win over half of total votes cast, Fidesz is hoping to secure on Sunday the additional seats it needs gain an unprecedented two-thirds majority.

In the first round, Fidesz came top in all but one of the undecided constituencies, and many analysts believe it is well placed to win the extra 52 seats required to achieve what Orban said earlier would be a 'miracle'.

The prime ministerial candidate of the Socialist Party, which has suffered a massive electoral defeat after eight years in government, warned on Tuesday of the 'danger' of a too-powerful Fidesz.

'The second round is about whether Viktor Orban?will be subject to any parliamentary control?or whether he will be able to exercise his will in a dictatorial style, with a voting machine behind his back,' Attila Mesterhazy said.

The small green-liberal party LMP (Politics Can Be Different), meanwhile, challenged Fidesz to reveal what reforms it is planning besides its recently announced intention to halve the size of parliament and local governments.

Fidesz won almost 53 per cent of the vote in the first round of elections on April 11, beating the governing Socialist Party into second place on just over 19 per cent.

The far-right party Jobbik is set to enter Hungary's parliament for the first time, having won over 16 per cent of the vote.

The new LMP, with 7.5 per cent of the vote, was the only other party to make it past the five-per cent threshold for entry to Hungary's parliament.

The second and final round of voting is due to take place from 0400 GMT TO 1700 GMT on Sunday, April 25. Initial results are expected late on Sunday evening.