The Constitutional Regulation of Local Government in Hungary
The Constitutional Regulation of Local Government in Hungary

Summary/Abstract: In Hungary, local government (that is, local authorities as constitutional institutions) is subject to totally new regulation at practically all levels. The new Constitution of 2011 deals with local communities in detail, in contrast to the previous Constitution of 1949. Following changes to the Constitution, Parliament adopted the 2011 Act on Local Government in Hungary - and other legislation connected with municipalities and districts. Over and above laws enacted by the central government, local authorities are empowered to adopt legislation within their own specific areas, the individual features of their byelaws being derived from the new Constitution. This study deals primarily with the constitutional rules, and especially with those problems which have evoked the interest of a number of specialists. It also introduces the basic formulae of Acts relating to communities. During the process of legislation more problems arose, some of which are still unresolved. Some concern the monitoring of local authorities, but there are several unanswered queries which relate to the electoral system, direct participative democracy, the financial and economic situation of communities and their institutions and the executive organs of their representative bodies (the councils). The new regulations also attempted to resolve earlier problems, but largely without success.

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