Party funding in Hungary

Hungary’s party finance regime is indicative of the country’s overall constitutional structure in at least two ways. Regulations concerning the registration of political parties are relatively liberal in Hungary. The MIP regularly transfers most of the money it receives from the state to the Hungarian Forum Foundation. Donations appear to be a less significant source of revenue than public funding. The MDF-led government gave the parties some particularly valuable buildings, which contained relatively little office space. The Electoral Law of 1989 obliged parties to publish their campaign budgets in the press, but since there were no deadlines or sanctions in the event of non-compliance, they did so only rarely. The head of the State Audit Office is elected by Parliament and is responsible to Parliament. The most important task of legislators is to establish realistic limits and deadlines, and to give greater room for the State Audit Office to manoeuvre.