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Hungary overwhelmingly votes against migrant quotas, referendum void due to turnout
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Bony Manifesto
Member
That's really interesting that 95% voted for something, but only 45% of the eligible population actually voted. How does that happen?
I don't think the EU requires a referendum for its plans to go ahead. This is mainly Hungary trying to prove that this measure is unpopular, I don't think a successful referendum would legally stop the EU's move.
Still though, 2016 doesn't have the best track record for non-binding EU referendums.
Dutch Microwave
Member
To be fair most of the opposing parties advocated for staying at home with the exception of liberals who said to vote yes and the far right party supporting no along with the ruling party.
There were a bunch of people who went to make invalid votes as a way of protest.
The lovely gov spent more money on bullshit fearmongering than UK did for the ENTIRE Brexit campaign (both Leave and Stay combined) while the country's in the shitter.The best thing about this is that it was from the taxpayers' money.
Oh and the entire thing was pointless from the beginning.Brussel wouldnt have given a shit about our votes either way.
It all makes sense
There were a bunch of people who went to make invalid votes as a way of protest.
The lovely gov spent more money on bullshit fearmongering than UK did for the ENTIRE Brexit campaign (both Leave and Stay combined) while the country's in the shitter.The best thing about this is that it was from the taxpayers' money.
Oh and the entire thing was pointless from the beginning.Brussel wouldnt have given a shit about our votes either way.
It all makes sense
In elections with a turnout requirement, the side that feels it's likely to lose often resorts to a boycott to deny the winning side the necessary turnout. So the only people who turned out were the ones voting for it, while those against stayed home to get just this result.
Faith in Hungary's sanity restored a little.
One of the lowest turnouts for such a referendum ever.
And FIDESZ did everything they could imagine doing, I am not even going to list the amount of bullshit spread in the past half year, the unlawful stop of OTHER, more important referendums (while this was of course went through), the constant stream of propaganda, the creeping on people's fears.
It failed. The people voting "no" for this were less than the people voting for Fidesz and Jobbik (the two far right parties in Hungay) combined, in 2014. Good.
One of the lowest turnouts for such a referendum ever.
And FIDESZ did everything they could imagine doing, I am not even going to list the amount of bullshit spread in the past half year, the unlawful stop of OTHER, more important referendums (while this was of course went through), the constant stream of propaganda, the creeping on people's fears.
It failed. The people voting "no" for this were less than the people voting for Fidesz and Jobbik (the two far right parties in Hungay) combined, in 2014. Good.
That's fucking genius.
Well it was the smart move for people voting against.. a somewhat low turnout is a normal thing, so its easier to keep the status quo by not voting.
Please don't confuse voter turnout with political opinions. Referendums usually don't get a big turnout, even less so if they are "unasked" for. 45% isn't that bad from that perspective, but ultimately it doesn't matter because they still failed to reach the necessary 50%. Neither does this mean that somehow people are actually pro-refugees - Fidesz isn't losing to the left, which is at an all time low, but to the extreme right (Jobbik) who is even more against refugees.
The whole thing is stupid to begin with anyways because a) the whole distribution isn't working anyways b) no refugees want to stay in Hungary c) Hungary doesn't want them either.
The only thing this succeeding would've given Orban would have been a bigger boost vs the EU commission, but ultimately it's also pointless.
Actually, no, FIDESZ is much more radical at this point than Jobbik is on refugees. They are both calling them economic migrants, they both want people to think that ALL of them are terrorists, and that Hungary is somehow fighting a war and an ongoing invasion, but the propaganda machine of Fidesz outdid them in every front possible.
Jobbik staggered much when Orban decided to sweep that far-right voter ever since the terror attack in France (Charlie Hebdo). Fidesz is not going to democratically lose the next election to anyone, they did enough changes to the voting laws and gerrymandered enough so that last time, 44% of the votes netted them 66% of the seats, giving them absolute power at that point... so yeah, Jobbik is not a threat either.
Jobbik staggered much when Orban decided to sweep that far-right voter ever since the terror attack in France (Charlie Hebdo). Fidesz is not going to democratically lose the next election to anyone, they did enough changes to the voting laws and gerrymandered enough so that last time, 44% of the votes netted them 66% of the seats, giving them absolute power at that point... so yeah, Jobbik is not a threat either.
His Majesty
Banned
A lot of these referendums have a low turnout. I remember Poland having a referendum last year with a turnout of 8%?
ClosingADoor
Member
45% is actually pretty high for a referendum. Wish they would have done that 50% turnout requirement here in Holland with the Ukraine trade deal referendum earlier this year.
It is 40,4% of which 98,24% voted for No. More people voted against mandatory EU quotas than people voted to join the EU in 2003 (where also "only" 45,6% voted). In perspective, only 29% voted in the last hungarian EU elections(europewide 42,61%). All the recent Polls have Fidesz + Jobbik (who want even stricter policies) at 63-71%.
Trying to spin this as a majority of Hungarians being against Orbans refugee/migrant policies or this somehow being a huge failure for Orban is absolutely ridiculous. It failed formally, but that's about it.
PdotMichael
Banned
Because the opposition knew that not voting is more effective.
Alx
Member
It' a bittersweet result, on one hand the vote against refugees didn't pass, on the other hand it still shows a strong popular opposition.
I can understand countries and people arguing about sovereignty and the level of authority that Brussels should and should not have, but welcoming refugees shouldn't be one of those cases : it's something that follows our common moral values, and also a way of dispatching the burden among all members of the union, instead of letting the most exposed deal with it alone. An alliance is about sharing benefits, but also hardships.
I can understand countries and people arguing about sovereignty and the level of authority that Brussels should and should not have, but welcoming refugees shouldn't be one of those cases : it's something that follows our common moral values, and also a way of dispatching the burden among all members of the union, instead of letting the most exposed deal with it alone. An alliance is about sharing benefits, but also hardships.
LelouchViBritannia
Member
Let's rerun the referendum until we get the result we want or void the entire thing, right EU?
Alx
Member
It's a 100% Hungarian referendum, EU didn't write the rules on turnout.
KonradLaw
Member
No. The quota system is dead. Aside from Sweden and Germany nobody wants to take those migrants in and nobody will be able to force anyone to do it.
The knowledge that the whole idea is dead likely sucked a lot of life out of hungaria's willingness to go to referendums. But make no mistake, majority of the country is completely against taking in any migrants from middle east and africa. The moment Orban would agree to it would be the moment his political careeer would be over.
KonradLaw
Member
No, but Orban will change the consitition to to include the "no migrants without our say so" decision from the referendum, even if the turn out was too small.
interactivemonodrama
Banned
It is a failure because they have spent a tons of money for misleading ads for quite a long time, and in the end still didn't manage to get the voter turn out above 50%. If it weren't for Orban to monetize on nationality on naive people, the turn out would be non existent.
The biggest shame of all, that he objectifies national values, and still lose.
To be fair that referendum was beyond pointless and took place only because acting president wanted some votes during campain (he didn't got them anyway).
1.21Gigawatts
Banned
What kind of constitution can be changed that easily?
Gurgelhals
Member
Afaik, Orban currently has a supermajority in parliament that allows him to change the constitution however he wants.
Kill Your Masters
Member
Not to mention that 50 million euros were spent on a useless poll. In comparison the Brexit cost around 40 million, and was targeted towards a population of 65 million compared to the 10 million of Hungary.
A poor country basically burned a lot of cash. Orban probably took some for himself so it was a win-win situation for him.
Rest
All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Constituent apathy.
If you are implying that somehow all those, or even just a very big number of those who stayed home somehow want immigrants, then you are wrong and need to look at the statistics that have been pointed out in this very thread.
No, I'm thinking that those in favor of migration that stayed home where the smart ones. The ones that went in and voted posed a bigger risk. The referendum was lost and they would have always lost unless they are 50% of the population and they all voted.
The one they are SO proud of as being rock-solid. It has only been changed around 5+ times since their reign. Yeah...
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