This paper aims to provide an insight into the current state of the municipal level in Hungary.
The Eastern European states have entirely changed their state and administrative structures within a few decades. The post-communist transformation and Europeanization played a crucial role in this process. After the fall of communism in 1989/90, the former Soviet states attempted to democratize the state apparatus by creating new institutions and implementing substantial decentralization. The administration of the states took on a significant role in this process. The decentralization of the administration was driven to prevent a concentration of power at individual institutions and to be able to implement reforms more quickly, effectively, and efficiently. Administrative decentralization was also reinforced during the accession phase to the EU.
The Hungarian administration's decentralization was also the most pronounced of all post-communist states. Hungary gave the individual administrative units (especially the municipalities) a great deal of autonomy, strengthened their rights, and granted them a broad range of responsibilities. Because of Hungary's significant role, the following paper will examine the Hungarian administration's current state.
However, the complete Hungarian administration would go beyond the scope of this paper. The study will therefore focus on only one administrative area: local government. The reason for this is straightforward. In recent years, one could see a tendency in Europe for local governments to be strengthened. Hungary is an exception. In Hungary, the local government has fallen the most compared to other European countries. Simultaneously, municipalities played a significant role in both the reforms after the post-communist transformation and the Europeanization during the accession phase.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Current state of research
- Central terms and definitions: Hungarian administrative structure and decentralization
- Importance of municipalities after the fall of communism in 1989/90
- The Development of the Hungarian Administration from the Late 1980s to Orban's Accession to Government
- Local Self-Government before the Start of Reforms
- Legal Protection
- Municipal Tasks
- Municipal Finances
- Local Self-Government before the Start of Reforms
- The reforms after 2010
- Removal of legal protection
- Creation of new districts and strengthening of intermediate authorities
- Total financial dependence on the central government
- Local Autonomy Index of Hungary and the Comparison with Other Countries
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to provide an insight into the current state of the municipal level in Hungary. The guiding question is: How has local self-government changed since Viktor Orban came to power? The paper focuses on the reforms from 2010-2014 as the largest and most comprehensive municipal reforms were passed during this period.
- The impact of Viktor Orban's government on local self-government in Hungary.
- The development of Hungarian administration from the late 1980s until Orban's accession to power.
- The comparison of local autonomy in Hungary to other European countries.
- The role of municipalities in the post-communist transformation and Europeanization.
- The challenges and opportunities facing local self-government in Hungary.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The paper examines the changes in local self-government in Hungary since Viktor Orban came to power, focusing on the reforms of 2010-2014. It highlights Hungary's role as a model for administrative decentralization in the post-communist era and its subsequent shift toward centralization.
- Current state of research: This chapter reviews existing research on local self-government in Hungary, highlighting the contributions of key researchers like Attila Ágh and Pálné Kovác. The chapter identifies a gap in research focusing specifically on local self-government in Hungary and emphasizes the importance of this study.
- Central terms and definitions: This section provides an overview of the Hungarian administrative structure, including its dual nature, the roles of regions, counties, and municipalities, and the state administration. It clarifies key terms and definitions relevant to the study of local self-government in Hungary.
- Importance of municipalities after the fall of communism in 1989/90: This chapter examines the significant role municipalities played in Hungary's post-communist transformation and Europeanization, emphasizing their importance in decentralizing power and implementing reforms.
- The Development of the Hungarian Administration from the Late 1980s to Orban's Accession to Government: This chapter traces the development of Hungarian administration, highlighting the rise of local self-government, the legal protection, and the range of responsibilities granted to municipalities in the period before the reforms.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper explores the changing landscape of local self-government in Hungary, focusing on the impact of Viktor Orban's government, the reforms of 2010-2014, and the comparison with other European countries. Key concepts include administrative decentralization, Europeanization, post-communist transformation, local autonomy index, and the role of municipalities.
- Quote paper
- Hüseyin Ugur Sagkal (Author), 2020, How has local self-government changed since Viktor Orban came to power?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1022876
