The socialist‐left opposition in post‐communist Hungary

Abstract

VIRTUALLY ALL POST-COMMUNIST Central and East European states show that socialist and/or social democratic trends survive strongly in the systemic transformation era, and their potential political influence cannot be discounted. The Lithuanian, Bulgarian and Romanian cases particularly support this perception and leftist tendencies are clearly visible in the Polish, Czech and Slovak cases as well. In Hungary there are several left parties and such factions are present even within the liberal opposition; public opinion polls indicate that the political culture carries with it social values which are generally in favour of the redistributive and protective role(s) of the government. The spring 1990 elections in Hungary resulted in a limited representation for the socialists in Parliament. With only 33 of 386 seats, they are the only left component in opposition to the governing right-of-centre coalition parties: the Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF), the Independent Smallholders and Citizens' Party (FKGP) and the Christian Democratic Party (KDNP). However, the socialists' limited parliamentary presence is not a realistic measure of the voter preferences because the 1989 Electoral Law introduced an exclusionary rule of 4% of the total national vote: parties polling below this ceiling did not receive legislative representation. From among several such parties the most significant ones were the reform-communist Hungarian Socialist Workers Party (MSZMP) and the Social Democratic Party (MSZDP); the picture is also blurred by the large number of non-voters whose political preferences remained uncertain (35% in the first round and 55% respectively in the run-offs). Considering the latent potential of the left on the Hungarian political palette, the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP)1 is the most visible and the only socialist-left opposition present in parliament.2 The MSZP is the best organised left force, led by an experienced and politically sophisticated leadership; it is likely to retain its prominent role and remain the focus of all left opposition in Hungary before and after the 1994 national elections. Therefore, a study of the socialists would provide a much needed perspective of the political, economic and social transformation. This article aims at accomplishing this objective primarily through the analysis of the political/ legislative role of the Socialist Party, its success and/or failure as the key figure in the political left today.