The Transformation of Hungarian Public Administration

2012

1992

The paper introduces the new established local government system in Hungary. The process, the values followed by the legislators showed which kinds of factors used to have an impact during the systemic changes and why the chosen local government model is fighting many malfunctions like fragmented, inefficient public services, financing problems, lack of integration, low performance in development policy etc. The paper tries to emphasise the path dependency in shaping territorial governance in a form of eliminating the almost always strong county governments and in the reluctance toward association of municipalities. Although the sand glass model of public power having strong bottom and top and lacking strong meso differs completely from the past as regards the power setting among levels but is similarly centralised. The original aim to strengthen the bottom is failed since the fragmented small municipalities were not able to fulfil the delegated tasks and what is the real paradox th...

2021

The the changing approach on the nature of local governance in Hungary is reviewed by this chapter. During the Democratic Transition the evolvement of the Hungarian municipal system was based on the paradigm and approach of the European Charter of Local Government. Thus one of the most autonomous local government system of Europe evolved in Hungary. Although the municipal reforms were basically successful, several dysfunctional phenomena could be observed and the request for the municipal reforms was strong from the late 1990s in Hungary. The new constitution of Hungary, the Fundamental Law introduced a new model. The approach of the local governance has been transformed: the autonomy of the municipalities have been limited. Thus the autonomous nature of the Hungarian model changed and new challenges have appeared in the field of the implementation of the regulation of the Charter

Local Governance in the New Urban Agenda, 2020

After the transition in 1990, Hungary copied Western European examples in the political sense. As a result, the traditions of German and French public administration exerted a considerable impact on the Hungarian municipal system. However, Hungary has recently turned away from this trend and developed its public administration structure in a state-centred way. The structure, which was decen-tralised at the beginning, displayed signs of fiscal centralisation at first, with elements of political centralisation becoming more and more dominant. From the aspect of our examination, the course that the municipality system has run within the relation system of central power since the transition era is a core issue. For independent research, we examined how the population perceived access to local public services and what subjective population expectancies were associated with the objective conditions of the public services system. How important is it for them whether the given service is provided by the state, the local authority, a non-profit or a for-profit organisation?

From Financial Centralisation to Political Centralisation. The Focal Points of the Municipal Reforms from the Transition Until Present Day Hungary, 2020

After the transition in 1990, Hungary copied Western European examples in the political sense. As a result, the traditions of German and French public administration exerted a considerable impact on the Hungarian municipal system. However, Hungary has recently turned away from this trend and developed its public administration structure in a state-centred way. The structure, which was decentralised at the beginning, displayed signs of fiscal centralisation at first, with elements of political centralisation becoming more and more dominant. From the aspect of our examination, the course that the municipality system has run within the relation system of central power since the transition era is a core issue. For independent research, we examined how the population perceived access to local public services and what subjective population expectancies were associated with the objective conditions of the public services system. How important is it for them whether the given service is provided by the state, the local authority, a non-profit or a for-profit organisation?

Journal of Political Administrative and Local Studies, 2020

The paper deals with the development of the administrative system in Hungary with a special focus on centralisation and decentralisation processes. The paper considers the historical patterns and the geographical characteristics in Hungary, and their impact on the above processes. It discusses the possibility of regionalisation in in a highly centralised era of the socialist period, the regionalisation processes started during the transition period, and the impact of EU membership on the new structure of regionalism in Hungary. Finally, it presents the most recent changes under the Orbán government towards a stronger centralisation in administration, and its motives.

2013

Hungary is a parliamentary democracy. From the point of view of the territorial dimension of governance, it is a unitary state with a two-tier local government system (municipal and county level elected self-governments; hereinafter local governments). The constitutional-legal status, i.e. arrangement guaranteeing the broad autonomy of local governments is exceptionally strong, as are their functions in the provision of public services and in the administration/implementation of central government policies. The electoral system is a mixed one, involving elements of both the majority and the proportional system; the mechanism, however, strongly favours large parties rather small ones. Representatives of the single-chamber Parliament are elected either in individual constituencies or on party lists. In 2008, there were four parties in the House of Representatives. During the five election periods having taken place since the transition, all governments were (either twoor three-party) ...

2014

There are at least two main examination aspects of Hungarian public administration and administrative law: first, the approach sketching the main features of the broader legal system and of law enforcement practice; second - almost as importantly -, the examination which describes and assesses 'reality' in a wider social scientific framework and through (public) policy features and processes. It shall be stated that legal approaches and analysis methods are dominant in the self-image of Hungarian public administration, in its practical operation and in its scientific description attempts. Among both the general features of the legal system reflected in administrative law and in its broader public policy features, there are some which are relatively stable - providing a high level of security even in case of certain political and legal changes . We call them "elements of our administrative heritage": a) The first such "heritage-element" is tradition, which...

Institutiones Administrationis

The regulation of the relationship between central and local government in Hungary has undergone significant transformation in the last decade. The government has robust tools to control local activities, just these tools are rarely applied by the supervising authorities. The main transformation of this relationship can be observed in the field of public services. The formerly municipality-based public service system was transformed into a centrally organised and provided model, thus the role of local governments in Hungary has decreased. The centralisation process was strengthened by reforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2013

In 2010 Hungary was in the fortunate position as the traditions of the Hungarian public law have precedents for the new aims. However, to achieve satisfactory reforms, the administration shall serve the citizens as the legendary inter-war administrative professionals believed, like István Ereky, Zoltán Magyary and their school. We cannot ignore the inter-war period’s experiences and findings without saying a word. Facing the conclusions and results of that time is not only a possibility, but the duty of the administration, both theoretically and practically. The paper reflects on the early reforms of 2010.