2003 Hungarian European Union membership referendum

none Do you agree that the Republic of Hungary should become a member of the European Union? 12 April 2003 Hungary 3056027 592690 17998 8042272 A referendum on joining the European Union was held in Hungary on 12 April 2003.Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p899 978-3-8329-5609-7 The proposal was approved by 84% of voters, with a voter turnout of 46%.Nohlen & Stöver, p912 Hungary subsequently joined the EU on 1 May 2004. thumb|Hungary and the EU prior to its accession in 2004 Background Hungary submitted a membership application to the EU on 31 March 1994 and negotiations on entry began in 1998. At a summit in Copenhagen in December 2002, Hungary was one of ten countries invited to join the EU in 2004. http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/e50017.htm The 2004 enlargement: the challenge of a 25-member EU 2008-03-03 Europa dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071230094019/http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/e50017.htm 2007-12-30 All major parties agreed that a binding referendum on membership was needed before Hungary could join the EU.http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sei/documents/hungary4.pdf Referendum briefing No 4: The Hungarian EU accession referendum, 12 April 2003 2008-03-03 Opposing Europe Research Network dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101217235421/http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sei/documents/hungary4.pdf 17 December 2010 The National Assembly of Hungary changed the rules on referendums in Hungary in 1997; the previous requirement that turnout be over 50% was removed, replaced with the requirement that at least 25% of all registered voters had to vote in favor for a referendum to be legally valid. In December 2002 the Constitution of Hungary was amended to enable a referendum on EU membership to take place, with the agreement that the referendum would take place on 12 April 2003. Referendum question The question voted on in the referendum was: "Do you agree that the Republic of Hungary should become a member of the European Union?" http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0413/hungary.html Big 'Yes' vote for EU membership in Hungary 2008-03-03 2003-04-13 Radio Telefís Éireann 2012-10-11 https://web.archive.org/web/20121011072431/http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0413/hungary.html live Hungarian: Egyetért-e azzal, hogy a Magyar Köztársaság az Európai Unió tagjává váljon? Party policies Position PartyYes Hungarian Socialist Party Fidesz Hungarian Democratic Forum Alliance of Free Democrats Social Democratic Party of Hungary Centre Party Christian Democratic People's Party Hungarian Worker's Party“Thurmer interview in Magyar Hirlap.” kadarizmus.gportal.hu. Thurmer interview in newspaper Magyar Hirlap. Accessed 2 April 2026.NoHungarian Justice and Life Party Campaign thumb|right| Movement for a Free Hungary, anti-EU poster in Hungary All of the major political parties in Hungary, the trade unions, business organisations, churches, and media supported membership of the EU. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,831774,00.html Maltese, Hungarians Vote in Favor of European Union 2008-03-03 2003-04-13 Deutsche Welle 2005-02-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20050224023116/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,831774,00.html live However the main opposition party Fidesz, while supporting membership, warned that up to 100,000 jobs could be lost due to EU regulations and that foreign competition could cause some sectors of the economy to collapse. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/apr/14/eu.politics Hungarians lukewarm about EU 2008-03-03 2003-04-14 The Guardian London Nick Thorpe 2013-08-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20130827021222/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/apr/14/eu.politics live http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article1129049.ece Hungary tells EU leaders they must heed newcomers 2008-03-03 2003-04-11 The Times London Adam LeBorSeptember 2024 medicmedic Media coverage was overwhelmingly positive and a campaign was made to dispel popular misconceptions of EU membership. These included whether the eating of poppy seed dumplings would be allowed in the EU and if only one size of condom was available in the EU.http://www.budapestsun.com/cikk.php?id=14202 EU referendum campaigns in full swing 2008-03-04 2003-03-06 Budapest Sun dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110605045312/http://www.budapestsun.com/cikk.php?id=14202 2011-06-05 Each of the four main parties also ran their own campaigns in support of the referendum. The opposition camp was confined to some small groups which organised themselves into the "Movement for a Free Hungary". None of these groups were in the Hungarian parliament and thus were unable to get any state funding for their campaign. Most opponents stressed they were not against "Europe" but were objecting to the accession terms and the current form of the EU. However opinion polls during the campaign showed strong support for membership. Some Members of the Movement for a Free Hungary, who depicted the 12 stars of the Union together with the red star and the swastika, were arrested for using prohibited autocratic symbols.http://njsz.hu/dr-surjan-laszlo-isten-malmai/ Dr. Surján László : Isten malmai NJSZ 2025-07-18 2024-12-19 https://web.archive.org/web/20241219095925/http://njsz.hu/dr-surjan-laszlo-isten-malmai/ live Results 3056027 592690 17998 8042272 Nohlen & Stöver Reactions Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy announced the result at a celebration on the banks of the Danube telling them, "Allow me to officially announce that the Hungarian republic will be a member of the European Union". The European Commission welcomed the result as marking the end of Hungary's "tragic separation from the European family of democratic nations". https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/14/weu14.xml https://web.archive.org/web/20030608022821/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F04%2F14%2Fweu14.xml dead 2003-06-08 EU votes trigger parties in Malta and Hungary 2008-03-03 2003-04-13 The Daily Telegraph London There was concern however at the turnout which was significantly below the 70% that had been hoped for. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/13/1050172461479.html Hungarians approve EU entry 2008-03-03 2003-04-13 The Age Melbourne 2012-10-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20121024072514/http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/13/1050172461479.html live There was criticism that the danger of the referendum being invalid due to low turnout was not stressed during the campaign. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2945329.stm European Press Review 2008-03-03 2003-04-14 BBC News 2004-05-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20040513112148/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2945329.stm live The opposition criticised the government's campaign as being simplistic while the government accused the opposition of being lukewarm in their support for membership. However the yes vote at 38% of voters was comfortably above the 25% level required for the referendum to be valid. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2946963.stm Hungary's EU apathy 2008-03-04 2003-04-14 BBC News 2004-04-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20040409103602/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2946963.stm live See also Hungarian withdrawal from the European Union References Hungary Category:Referendums in Hungary Category:Referendums related to European Union accession European Hungary Hungary Category:Hungary and the European Union Hungary