| Hungarian Democratic Forum Magyar Demokrata Fórum |
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|---|---|
| Last leader | Zsolt Makay |
| Founded | 27 September 1987 |
| Dissolved | 8 April 2011 |
| Succeeded by | Democratic Community of Welfare and Freedom (JESZ) |
| Headquarters | 1025 Budapest, II. Szilágyi Erzsébet fasor 73. |
| Ideology | Liberal conservatism, Christian democracy, National conservatism[1] |
| International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International |
| European affiliation | Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists |
| European Parliament Group | European Conservatives and Reformists |
| Official colours | Green |
| National Assembly: |
0 / 386
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| European Parliament: |
1 / 22
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| Website | |
| http://www.mdf.hu/ | |
| Politics of Hungary Political parties Elections |
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| Hungary |
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The Hungarian Democratic Forum (Hungarian: Magyar Demokrata Fórum), abbreviated to MDF, was a centre-right political party in Hungary. It had a liberal conservative and Christian democratic ideology. The party was represented continuously in the National Assembly from the restoration of democracy in 1990 until 2010.
The MDF was the largest party on Hungary's emergence as a democratic country under the leadership of József Antall, Prime Minister between 1990 and 1993. Since then, its representation has receded, with the party playing the role of junior coalition partner to Fidesz from 1998 to 2002, and in opposition otherwise.
It was a member of the Centrist Democrat International, and was a member of the European People's Party until 2009, when it joined the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists. The MDF's one MEP, Lajos Bokros, sits with the ECR in the European Parliament.
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Several members were shut out.[2]
Before 2002 it was part of a coalition government with the larger Fidesz. It had 24 seats in the National Assembly between 2002 and 2006.
In the 2004 European Parliamentary Elections it gained 5.3% (164,025 votes) of the vote and one of its members was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), sitting with the EPP-ED Group. MDF was a member of the European People's Party (EPP), but its MEP joined on 22 June 2009 the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament instead of the EPP Group. This led to the party's suspension from the EPP.
It received 5.04% (272,831 votes) of the votes in the 2006 parliamentary elections, thus securing its place in the next Parliament.
MDF has essentially split, with the majority of its parliamentary representatives ousted from the party. Ibolya Dávid regularly accuses Fidesz, the largest conservative force in Hungary of trying to annex her party. The two parties had a bitter quarrel following the first round of the 2006 parliamentary elections on the possible withdrawal of MDF candidates to support the Fidesz: the presidency of the party decided not to do this. However, a number of MDF candidates decided to withdraw at their own discretion.
On 8 October 2009, Ibolya Dávid was a guest speaker at the annual conference of the British Conservative Party, to confirm a long term strategic alliance between the two parties in Europe.
| Year | Vote percentage | Seats | Popular votes | Ruling parties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24.73% | 164 | 1,214,359 | MDF-FKGP-KDNP |
| 1994 | 11.73% | 38 | 633,157 | MSZP-SZDSZ |
| 1998 | 2.8% | 17 | 127,118 | FIDESZ-FKGP-MDF |
| 2002 | (together with FIDESZ) 41.07% | 188 (24) | 2,306,763 | MSZP-SZDSZ |
| 2006 | 5.04% | 11 | 272,831 | MSZP-SZDSZ |
| 2010 | 2.67% | 0 | 136,895 | FIDESZ-KDNP |
Note: In 2002 the party had a joint list with Fidesz. The number of seats won by MDF is shown in parentheses.
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