ODIHR final report on Hungary’s parliamentary elections points to inadequate separation between party and state activities, offers recommendations to improve electoral process

Greater efforts to guarantee a level playing field for candidates are needed to improve the electoral process in Hungary, says the final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the country’s 8 April 2018 parliamentary elections.

The report, published on 27 June 2018, states that the elections were efficiently administered and offered voters a wide range of political choices. It also says, however, that the main governing party enjoyed an undue advantage because of a pervasive overlap between state and ruling party resources, biased media coverage and opaque campaign financing regulations.

The report recommends measures to provide a fully democratic basis for the conduct of elections, including by removing unreasonable hindrances on civil society. A public and inclusive review of current legislation, with an emphasis on freedoms of expression and association and access to information, is among the suggested measures. In this respect, the report recommends revising the rules for lawmaking to ensure opportunities for meaningful public consultation and to reconsider the possibility for individual members of parliament to propose amendments that are not subject to public scrutiny.

Noting the increasing ownership of media outlets by party-affiliated entrepreneurs and the allocation of state advertising only to certain outlets, the report recommends amending legislation to prevent the governing party from having an undue campaign advantage. It further recommends that government information activities avoid any appearance of seeking to influence voting. In addition, concrete steps should be taken to strengthen the financial and editorial independence of the public broadcaster, which include ensuring an open and inclusive appointment of the management and a transparent and sustainable financing system.

The report further recommends introducing limits on individual campaign donations, improving regulations on financing of election-related campaigns by third parties and introducing measures to enhance the transparency of campaign finance.

Other recommendations include permitting observation by non-partisan civil society organizations, decriminalizing defamation, reviewing legislative and practical aspects of national minority participation in elections, and introducing temporary special measures to promote women candidates.