Hungarian politician: Respecting election results is key to a healthy democracy

“Mutual respect and peace, as well as trust in democratic institutions, manifested in participating in elections and accepting their results, serve as a basis for protecting constitutional guarantees in a healthy democracy,” Csaba Hende, a deputy speaker of the Hungarian parliament, told a conference attended by his counterparts in the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg on Thursday.

In his speech, Hende said that “ignoring the will of voters indicates a distortion of democracy … once a government promoting the people’s will or the winner is prevented from forming a government, democratic legitimacy is violated.” Highlighting Hungary’s National Consultation surveys and referendums, Hende said: “Enforcing the people’s will increases the integrity of democracy, a sense of unity and sovereignty in the country.”

While populism is often lambasted, “democracies are not jeopardised by populism … but incitement to war and political, economic, or cultural attacks against peace-loving countries,” do endanger them, he said.

Meanwhile, Hende said that “political apathy is a natural consequence of autocratic ideologies” but “the Hungarian model is based on honesty, integrity, and straightforward talk … Hungary wants to set an example for nations seeking a renewal of democracy, where a more consistent promotion of the people’s will could encourage citizens to take more active roles.”