1988. szeptember (209-245. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
/ « Hungáriák Lte(3)<s^r ®m£ Editor: György Krassó » 24/D Little Russeli Street ‘ London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (from abroad 441-430 2126) 232/1988 (E) 17th September, 1988 Confidential Partv Document About the Planned Modification of the Electoral Law Parliamentary debate? YesI Referendum? Noí This just about sums up the political leadership’s recent declarations on the fate of the Bos-Nagymaros dam. This attitűdé is hardly surprising. The authorities’ reasons can be surmised, the nation would make different decisions from the "M.P.s", who in the majority have voted on the most important questions in the way that they are expected to from above. This does nőt only concem the Bos-Nagymaros dara bút the most important questions which face the country. Parliament choeses the government, Parliament decides on the budget and Parliament will vote on such basic laws as the freedom of assembly and association. And Parliament*s role, if one can believe its pledges, will increase in the future. One can only be glad of it. Bút who is pleased when it is really a question of who the representatives represent. Representatives of the people or of the authorities? This depends on the electoral system. Although the last modification to the electoral law in 1983, which enforced multiple nomination, did nőt fundamentally change the practise of voting "yes mén" intő Parliament it did disturb the leadership’s plans because despite abuse, manipulation and swindling 32 independent Citizen candidates entered Parliament. This was too much fór the authorities even today when the glasnost slogan resounds through the world. Therefore it is nőt accidental that they wish to modify the electoral law. On September lOth the Deputy Minister of the Interior Zoltán Gál spoke about it on Kossuth Rádió. Zoltán Gál gave away the essence of the plán; to stop any possibility of spontaneous civil nomination. Now however a little more of the Party’s plans were revealed. In the Hungárián Socialist Workers Party Central Committee’s June 23rd meeting "observ- ations about the application of the electoral law and the principle directions of its modification" were discussed as the committee’s brief report phrases it. As is usual the report said that the modification was necessary in the interest of "streng- thening and extending democracy" and it assented to a social debate. Social debate has nőt yet occurred bút a confidential document which was handed to leading Party and state organs sheds light on the main features of the "stEengthening democracy" plán. The document was leaked, it consists of three chapters the first of which deals with the experiences of the '85 elections. It states that new problems and contradictions árosé in addition to the results. Thus the electoral system must be corrected. The second part gives details of the new plán and the third states the role desired by the Party. The document says that "spontaneous nomination usually causes confusion" and that the compulsory adoption of the Patriotic Peoples Front’s programme did nőt act as a watershed because the "representatives of oppositionist hostile ambitions accepted it without a qualm". According to the plán the problem must be solved by "refining the Peoples Front porgramme" and by "clarifying who represents who". The Party leadership recognises that it must reckon with "a more contradictory internál political situation than in 1985". "The regulation of the nomination process must be made more explicit, unequivocal and calculable. Anarchic processes must be avoided." "The creation of a new institue is necessary to co-ordinate and prepare the nomin- ations, a committee which prepares the candidature. The nominations must be 43 Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
