National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary

National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary
German: Landesselbstverwaltung der Ungarndeutschen
Hungarian: Magyarországi Németek Országos Önkormányzata
AbbreviationLdU; MNOÖ
LeaderIbolya Hock-Englender
Parliamentary spokesmanImre Ritter
Vice PresidentÉva Waldmann-Baudentisztl
Founded11 March 1995
Headquarters1026 Budapest,
Júlia utca 9.
Youth wingGemeinschaft Junger Ungarndeutscher
IdeologyGerman minority interests[1]
Cultural autonomy
Cultural conservatism
Political positionCentre-right
European affiliationFUEN
Colours  Cobalt blue
SloganUngarndeutsch, steh’ dazu!
National Assembly
1 / 199
Party flag
Website
ldu.hu


The National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary (German: Landesselbstverwaltung der Ungarndeutschen, LdU; Hungarian: Magyarországi Németek Országos Önkormányzata, pronounced [ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡi ˈneːmɛtɛk ˈorsaːɡoʃ ˈøŋkormaːɲzɒtɒ], MNOÖ) is the nationwide representative organization of the German minority in Hungary.

History

After electing minority self-governments in 1994, the electoral assembly of the German minority elected the political and cultural representative body of the Germans of Hungary, the National Self-Government of the Germans in Hungary, on 11 March 1995. According to the opportunities offered by the 2011. CLXXIX. Nationality Act, it wants to implement a modern minority policy.[2]

Aims

Its main aims are to preserve and support the language, the intellectual heritage, the historical traditions and the German identity in Hungary. That includes the preservation of the German mother tongue in cultural areas, the teaching of German language in the Hungarian school system and in the field of international relations and the exchange of German relations by partnerships and programs.[2]

The implementation of cultural autonomy, the takeover of the German institutions in Hungary, ensures the main activity of LdU.[2]

At the same time, it supports co-operation of Hungary and its neighbours, above all with German-speaking countries.[2]

It is the umbrella organization of 406 local minority self-governments and more than 500 cultural groups and other German associations of Hungary.[2]

Leaders

  • Ottó Heinek (1999–2018)
  • Olívia Schubert (2018–2019)
  • Ibolya Hock-Englender (2019– )

Electoral results

Since 2014, voters of ethnic minorities in Hungary are able to vote on nationality lists. The minorities can obtain a preferential mandate if they reach the quarter of the ninety-third part (which is ) of the list votes.[3] Nationalities who did not get a mandate could send a nationality spokesman to the National Assembly.[3]

In the 2018 parliamentary election, Imre Ritter was elected as the first German parliamentary spokesman in the history of the National Assembly.[4]

National Assembly

Election Leader
(german name)
Constituency Party list Seats +/– Status
Votes % Votes %
2014 Ottó Heinek
(Otto Heinek)
11,415 0.23% (#12)
0 / 199
New Extra-parliamentary
2018 Imre Ritter
(Emmerich Ritter)
26,477 0.46% (#9)
1 / 199
Increase 1 Support
(Fidesz-KDNP)
2022 24,630 0.44% (#7)
1 / 199
Steady 0 Support
(Fidesz-KDNP)

References

  1. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2018). "Hungary". Parties and Elections in Europe.
  2. ^ a b c d e "LdU - Landesselbstverwaltung der Ungarndeutschen - Zentrum Web". www.ldu.hu. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  3. ^ a b "2018 - Nemzeti Választási Iroda". National Election Office (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  4. ^ "Megkezdte munkáját Ritter Imre német nemzetiségi szószóló" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2018-03-23.