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Hungary - Government and Political Conditions (Notes)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS The President of the Republic, elected by the National Assembly every 5 years, has a largely ceremonial role, but powers also include appointing the prime minister. The prime minister selects cabinet ministers and has the exclusive right to dismiss them. Each cabinet nominee appears before one or more parliamentary committees in consultative open hearings and must be formally approved by the president. The unicameral, 386-member National Assembly is the highest organ of state authority and initiates and approves legislation sponsored by the prime minister. A party must win at least 5% of the national vote to form a parliamentary faction. National parliamentary elections are held every 4 years (the last in April 2006). A 15-member Constitutional Court has power to challenge legislation on grounds of unconstitutionality. Principal Government Officials President--Laszlo Solyom Prime Minister--Ferenc Gyurcsany (MSZP) Minister of Foreign Affairs--Kinga Goncz Ambassador to the United States--Andras Simonyi Ambassador to the United Nations--Gabor Brodi The Hungarian embassy is located at 3910 Shoemaker St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-362-6730). Hungary has consulates in New York City and Los Angeles.