-News for Sat. 20 April & Sun. 21
April 2002 Opposition Parties Claim Majority in Hungarian
Elections
VOA
News 21
Apr 2002 21:25 UTC

Hungary's opposition
parties have won the second and final round of national elections (Sunday)
giving them a slight majority in parliament.
Prime Minister Victor
Orban has conceded defeat, saying he called the left's candidate for prime
minister, Peter Medgyessy, to congratulate him.
Hungary's election
commission reports that with 99 percent of votes counted, the Socialists and
the Alliance of Free Democrats won 198 of the parliament's 386 seats. Mr.
Orban's Fidezc party took 188 seats.
Voter turnout was
just over 71 percent.
In first round voting
on April 7, the Socialists gained 93 of the 386 seats in parliament against 87
for Fidesz.
With few major
differences between the parties in terms of policy, both promise tax cuts and
market-friendly policies to promote economic growth, the campaign has been a
contest of contrasting styles. Mr. Orban's four years in power have been marked
by continuing economic growth for Hungary. However, his appeals to nationalist
sentiment have alienated many voters.
The newly elected
parliament is expected to support Hungary's European Union
membership.
Some information
for this report provided by AP and AFP.
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