Hungarians voted Sunday to reject a European Union refugee resettlement plan, but failed to turn out in sufficient numbers to make the referendum legally binding.
Voter turnout was 43.7%, according to data published on the Hungarian National Election Office website, short of the 50% participation required to make the referendum valid under Hungarian law.
Under the agreement with the European Union reached last fall, Hungary would have to accept just 1,294 refugees.
The referendum asked: “Do you want the European Union to be able to prescribe the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary even without the consent of Parliament?”
Orban’s right-wing, anti-immigrant Fidesz party claimed victory immediately after voting stations closed, saying its own projections based on exit polls showed that 95 per cent of voters supported the government position despite an expected turnout of only 45 per cent.
Gulyás Gergely, the Vice-President of Hungary’s ruling party, FIDESZ, nevertheless described the result as an “overwhelming victory” that demonstrated “unprecedented unity.” He said that more than 90% of those who did vote supported Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s “No” position.
