Hungary’s right-leaning Parliament adopted a new Constitution yesterday in the face of an opposition boycott and criticism that the text destroys the country’s system of checks and balances.
“We are witnessing a historic moment as Parliament passed the new Constitution,” Laszlo Kover, MP for the ruling Fidesz party and speaker of the house, said after 262 deputies voted in favour of the text, with 44 against and one member abstaining.
“It acknowledges Christianity as the basis of our civilisation but it ensures moral freedom,” he added before calling on deputies to rise to sing the national anthem.
The new basic law, drafted solely by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s centre-right Fidesz, is seen as a “coup” to cement the party’s own power and keep it in control even if it is voted out of government.
Under the text, a host of laws will now require a two-thirds majority in parliament to be adopted, almost guaranteeing they cannot be changed in the future.
The opposition Socialists and left-wing green LMP party boycotted both yesterday’s vote and the preceding debate in the assembly, while the far-right Jobbik voted against the text.
With its preamble laden with references to God, Christianity, the Holy Crown of Hungary, the fatherland and traditional family values, critics have slammed the new Constitution as discriminatory.
They have raised fears about the status of those who will not fit the mould, such as non-believers, homosexuals or single-parent families. Apart from its contents the new Constitution has come under fire for the speed of the debate – it was rushed through in a mere nine days – the lack of transparency in producing it and the late availability of a public draft. Opposition parties had refused to take part in the drafting.
“The new basic law is going to be illegitimate and temporary, and will have to be changed after the next elections on the basis of a national consensus,” Socialist leader Attila Mesterhazy told a boycott event yesterday.
During the vote, a flash mob organised via the social networking site Facebook gathered near Parliament, where a giant Pac Man figure in the orange colour of Fidesz devoured a sign representing the rule of law.