1998 Hungarian parliamentary election

1998 Hungarian parliamentary election

10 May 1998 (first round)
24 May 1998 (second round)

All 386 seats to the Országgyűlés
194 seats needed for a majority
Turnout56.21% (first round)
57.01% (second round)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Viktor Orbán Gyula Horn József Torgyán
Party Fidesz MSZP FKGP
Leader since 18 April 1993 27 May 1990 1991
Last election 20 seats, 7.02% 209 seats, 32.99% 26 seats, 8.82%
Seats won
Seat change 128 75 22
1R vote and % 956,008 (21.4%) 1,332,178 (29.8%) 594,023 (13.3%)
2R vote and % 1,706,155 (37.8%) 1,941,307 (43.0%) 275,857 (6.1%)
Party vote 1,340,826 1,497,231 597,820
 % and swing 29.48% 22.46 pp 32.92% 0.07 pp 13.15% 4.33 pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Gábor Kuncze Sándor Lezsák István Csurka
Party SZDSZ MDF MIÉP
Leader since 24 April 1997 2 March 1996 15 July 1993
Last election 70 seats, 19.74% 38 seats, 11.74% 0 seats, 1.59%
Seats won
Seat change 46 21 14
1R vote and % 456,008 (10.2%) 343,089 (7.7%) 249,127 (5.6%)
2R vote and % 139,504 (3.1%) 356,891 (7.9%) 28,608 (0.6%)
Party vote 344,352 127,118 248,901
 % and swing 7.57% 12.17 pp 2.80% 8.94 pp 5.47% 3.88 pp

Results of the election. Proportional list results are displayed in the top left.

Government before election

Horn Government
MSZPSZDSZ

Government after election

First Orbán Government
FideszFKGPMDF

Parliamentary elections were held in Hungary on 10 May 1998, with a second round of voting in 175 of the 176 single member constituencies on 24 May.

Although the Hungarian Socialist Party received the most votes, the then-liberal conservative Fidesz won the most seats. The successful breakthrough into parliament by the extreme right-wing Hungarian Justice and Life Party was also a major shock. After the election, Fidesz formed a centre-right coalition government with the Independent Smallholders Party and Hungarian Democratic Forum.