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The 'Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union' (in Hungarian: ''Fidesz – Magyar Polgári Szövetség'') is a large centre-right conservative and Christian Democratic^[1] political party in Hungary; it is also frequently described as a nationalist^[2][3][4][5]party. As of 2007, Fidesz is the largest opposition party in Hungary. It is a member of the European People's Party (EPP).

Contents

History

Ideology

Electoral results

References

External links

History

The party was founded in 1988, named simply Fidesz (''Fiatal Demokraták Szövetsége'', Alliance of Young Democrats), originally as a youthful libertarian, anticommunist party. Fidesz was founded by young democrats, mainly students, who were persecuted by the communist party and had to meet in small, clandestine groups. The movement became a major force in many areas of modern Hungarian history, engaging itself on every level in the development of a democratic system, its members being active as guardians of fundamental human rights. The membership had an upper age limit of 35 years (this requirement was abolished at the 1993 congress).
In 1989 Fidesz won the Rafto Prize. The Hungarian youth opposition movement was represented by one of its leaders, Dr Péter Molnár, who became a Member of Parliament in Hungary.
Fidesz received 8.95% (1990), 7.02% (1994) and 29.48% (1998).
After its disappointing result in the 1994 elections, Fidesz changed its political position from liberal to conservative. In 1995, it added "Hungarian Civic Party" (''Magyar Polgári Párt'') to its shortened name. The conservative turn caused a severe split in the membership. Péter Molnár left the party, as well as Gábor Fodor and Klára Ungár, who joined the liberal Alliance of Free Democrats.
Fidesz gained power in 1998 under leader and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who governed Hungary in coalition with the smaller Hungarian Democratic Forum and the Independent Smallholders' Party.
The party became embroiled in corruption scandals involving government subsidies and contracts, and the tone of political debate in the build up to the 2002 General Election became increasingly bitter, with Fidesz MPs accusing the opposition of being "traitors." The opposition socialists responded by walking out of Parliament.
It narrowly lost the 2002 elections to the Hungarian Socialist Party, by 41.07% to the Socialists' 42.05%. Fidesz had 169 members of the Hungarian National Assembly, out of a total of 386. Following the defeat, the municipal elections in October saw huge Fidesz losses.
In the spring of 2003, Fidesz took its current name, "Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union".
It was the most successful party in the 2004 European Parliamentary Elections, gaining 47.4% of the vote and electing 12 MEPs including Lívia Járóka, the second Roma MEP.
Some consider the election of Dr. László Sólyom as the new President of Hungary as the most recent success of the party. He was endorsed by Védegylet, an NGO including people from the whole political spectrum. His activity doesn't entirely overlap with the conservative ideals and he championed for elements of both political wings with a selective, but conscious choice of values. ^[6]
In 2005 FIDESZ and the Christian KDNP formed an alliance for the 2006 elections. Despite winning 42.0% of the list votes and 164 representatives out of 386 in Parliament, they were beaten by the socialist and liberal coalition of MSZP and SZDSZ.
On October 1, 2006, Fidesz "won" the municipal elections, which may counterbalance the Socialist Party (MSZP)-led government's power to some extent. According to preliminary results Fidesz won 15 of 23 mayoralties in Hungary's largest cities—although its candidate narrowly lost the city of Budapest to a member of the Liberal Party—and majorities in 18 out of 20 regional assemblies.http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2006/10/03/2003330242

Ideology

Fidesz switched from liberalism to conservatism in the mid-90's, which caused a break within the party, many of its members left it, mainly for the other liberal party, SZDSZ which then joined a coalition with the socialist party MSZP right after the 1994 elections.
Many political scientists and mainstream media also describe Fidesz as a nationalist party.^[2][3][4][5] In the same time, Fidesz has refused cooperation with the extremist MIÉP,^[11] which was the main far-right party in Hungary.^[12]
Prominent Fidesz members have repeatedly used anti-Communist rhetoric, playing to the totalitarian heritage of the party's main opponent, MSZP. There are, however, several former Communist Party members in the senior ranks of Fidesz as well.^[13]

Electoral results

Reults on the lists:

Year	Result	Voters	Status
1990	8.95%	439481	opposition
1994	7.02%	379295	opposition
1998	28.18%	1263522	government
2002	41.07%	2306763	opposition
2006	42.03%	2272979	opposition

In 2002 the Fidesz list ran together with the MDF. Before the 2006 elections MDF separated from the party, but then KDNP joined the alliance.

References

1. http://www.cdp.org.au/fed/links.asp
2. Racz, Barnabas. 2003. Regional Voting Trends in Hungarian National Elections 1985-2002. East European Quarterly 37(4): pg. 439.
3. Batory, Agnes. 2002. Attitudes to Europe: Ideology, Strategy and the Issue of European Union Membership in Hungarian Party Politics. Party Politics 8(5): 525 - 539.
4. Todosijevic, Bojan. 2005. Issues and Party Preferences in Hungary. Party Politics 11(1): 109-126.
5. Hungary premier hopes for second term, BBC, 5 April, 2002
6. http://index.hu/politika/belfold/kernt8094/
7. Racz, Barnabas. 2003. Regional Voting Trends in Hungarian National Elections 1985-2002. East European Quarterly 37(4): pg. 439.
8. Batory, Agnes. 2002. Attitudes to Europe: Ideology, Strategy and the Issue of European Union Membership in Hungarian Party Politics. Party Politics 8(5): 525 - 539.
9. Todosijevic, Bojan. 2005. Issues and Party Preferences in Hungary. Party Politics 11(1): 109-126.
10. Hungary premier hopes for second term, BBC, 5 April, 2002
11. Institute of Race Relations. Profile of the parliamentary extreme-Right
12. Extremism in Europe
13. Tensions brought to the boil Christopher Condon

External links

★ Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union official site

★ Speech delivered by Mr Viktor Orban at the 17th Congress of Fidesz upon his election as president of Fidesz - Hungarian Civic Union, 17 May 2003 (from Google's cache)

★ The History of FIDESZ (from Google's cache)

★ Hungary's PM calls confidence vote