Country Name: Hungary (English), Magyarország (Hungarian)
News Category: Name Changes
Summary: Hungary’s full official name changed from “Republic of Hungary” to just “Hungary” when a new constitution came into effect in the Central European country at the beginning of this year.
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| Map of Hungary from the CIA World Factbook (public domain) |
A member of the Soviet-influenced Eastern Bloc during the Cold War, Hungary was one of the many European countries that underwent major reforms after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. Its name was changed from “People’s Republic of Hungary” to “Republic of Hungary”, and the old communist constitution was heavily amended to welcome in democracy.
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| Flag of Hungary (source) |
However, uniquely among the former Eastern states, the old constitution was never completely discarded. Change finally came last year, when the Hungarian parliament, led by the conservative Fidesz party, began drafting a replacement constitution. The new document, which holds the historical distinction of being the first ever national constitution written on an iPad, was signed into law on April 25 and entered into effect on January 1, 2012. Curiously, the new text further reduces the country’s official name from “Republic of Hungary” to just “Hungary”.
Link: Full English text of Hungary’s new constitution (PDF)
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| Hungary’s location within the European Union (copyright David Liuzzo, used with permission per its Wikimedia page) |
To many of the new constitution’s opponents, the name change symbolizes the authoritarian tendencies of Fidesz and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who they have nicknamed “Viktator”. Opposition parties have complained that the constitution was pushed through without broad consensus, enshrining the ruling party’s conservative ideology into the country’s basic law. Among the document’s right-wing provisions are clauses condemning gay marriage and abortion, as well as a pointed failure to protect sexual orientation under anti-discrimination measures. To those who see an anti-democratic constitution whose preamble appeals to a history of monarchy and Christianity, the deletion of “Republic” from Hungary’s name is the icing on the cake.
News Report: Opposition protests fill Hungarian capital (Washington Post & Al-Jazeera)
Unfortunately statements presented here just simply not true ones. Opposition party means socialist party which is basically the offspring of the old communist party which serviliently ruled the country under the 45 years long Soviet influence. The old communist-created constitution was discarded and changed to a civil type one with the power of the legitimate two third parliament majority of the ruling party. The deletion of the word "Republic" from the name of the country is not more just giving back the proud old name of the country held before bolsevikhs invaded the government.
Thanks for that perspective! I apologize if the article didn't come through sounding as neutral as it should have. That wasn't intentional, but I can see now that the pro-change side wasn't well represented.
I don't see which statements are "simply not true" though. Your explanation doesn't seem to include any factual contradictions with the article.
Allow me a few corrections related to factual mistakes here:
The new Hungarian Fundamental Law does not condemn gay marriage, it simply states that
"(1) Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a
woman established by voluntary decision, and the family as the basis of the nation’s survival."
Yes, the article gives a traditional definition of marriage but does not condemn homosexual orientation. The institution of civil partnership/union exists in Hunagry.
It does not condemn abortion either.
Article III states that "Human dignity shall be inviolable. Every human being shall have the right to life and human dignity; embryonic and foetal life shall be subject to protection from the moment of conception". Despite the fact that it contradicts the law regualting abortion, the latter law is still in force. Every year approx. 35,000 abortions are carried out in Hungary (fortunately, the number is decreasing though).
No one faces percecutaion by the Hungarian state for homosexuality or for procuring an abortion.
The constitution was indeed pushed through without a broad consensus.
The lack of dialogue and the unstable constituional atmosphere is in fact the greatest flaw of the Constitution and not the articles erronously interpreted here.