Hungarian Social Democratic Party
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| Magyarországi Szociáldemokrata Párt | |
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| Leader | László Kapolyi |
| Founded | December 1890 |
| Headquarters | |
| Political ideology | Democratic socialism Social Democracy |
| International affiliation | Socialist International |
| European affiliation | Party of European Socialists |
| Colour(s) | Red |
| Website | www.mszdp.hu |
| Also about Hungarian politics |
Politics List of political parties Elections |
| Hungary |
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The Hungarian Social Democratic Party (Magyarorszagi Szociáldemokrata Párt, MSZDP) is a political party in Hungary. The MSZDP is the oldest political party still functioning in Hungary. It was founded in a congress in December 1890. Traditional areas of support are the industrial areas of Budapest, especially Obuda, Pesterzsébet and Angyalföld.
The party grew in power and influence until the First World War, which resulted in the party fracturing into pro-war and anti-war factions. The chaos which followed the war resulted in the collapse of the Dual Monarchy. The MSZDP leadership entered into government as part of an unsuccessful post-war socialist administration. Revolution and counter-revolution resulted in a brutal backlash against opposing political camps. This led to both the Red Terror and the White Terror. Many MSZDP supporters were killed during the White Terror. The entire left-wing boycotted the elections of 1920, which resulted in a right-wing victory and continued right-wing government for the inter-war period.
The MSZDP made their peace with Horthy's government in 1921 with the Bethlen-Peyer pact. More radical elements were suppressed, and trade union activity was increasingly driven underground during the 1930s. The environment became increasingly hostile and activity virtually drained to a halt during the Second World War.
The MSZDP fought the election of November 1945 independently. They were then forcibly merged in the Soviet-sponsored Hungarian Workers Party in association with the Communist Party. With the establishment of the police state, members were increasingly pressured to co-operate with the Communists. The grouping became the largest party in 1947, but by the end of 1948 the MSZDP had ceased to function independently.
The MSZDP re-emerged defiantly in the 1956 revolution. Under the leadership of Anna Kéthly, Gyula Keleman and Joseph Fischer the MSZDP took a prominent role in Imre Nagy's Provisional Government. For the first time in many years the party newspaper "Népszava" was published independently. Following the suppression of the Revolution in 1956 and 1957, the MSZDP disappeared again under state repression, and much of the leadership escaped into exile.
The gradual softening of the official government policies in Hungary in the 1970s and 1980s led to many in the governing Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSZMP) being associated with reform communism. This was sometimes not easily distinguishable from social democracy. In 1989 the MSZDP was re-founded, and took a prominent role in the transitional arrangements before the first elections. The MSZMP, now calling itself the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), started with a large base of members, plenty of financial resources and a core electorate. The elections of 1990 were a huge disappointment to the party, as the reconstituted MSZDP failed to reach the 5% parliamentary threshold.
Following this, MSZDP, whilst retaining its separate status, has become linked to the MSZP. Its leader, László Kapolyi, is elected on a joint MSZP–MSZDP ticket. He sits with the MSZP in Parliament as a normal MSZP MP. The "Historical Social Democratic Party" (SZDP) was established by those objecting to the continued co-operation between the MSZP and the much smaller MSZDP.
In 2007 and 2008, defections from the MSZP to the MSZDP in local government have resulted in some pressure to more clearly define an independent social democratic perspective. As the MSZP has increasingly adopted market economics, and an agenda based on middle-class aspirations, it appears that the MSZDP stands on the left of the political spectrum and is rebuilding support in working-class areas.
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