Hungarians vote in nationality referendum

Hungary's new prime minister looked to have scored a major victory yesterday when the opposition failed to garner enough votes to pass a referendum giving citizenship to millions of Hungarians abroad.

Ferenc Gyurcsany's campaign for a "No" in the controversial referendum, which aimed to embrace Hungarians living abroad after the 1920 carve-up of the Austro-Hungarian empire, appeared set to succeed because of a low turnout.

Election officials estimated turnout at around 40 per cent - well below the threshold of 50 per cent to make the referendum binding.

Socialist prime minister Gyurcsany argued for a "No", saying the country which joined the European Union this year should look to the future. He warned the overstretched budget could be bankrupted by immigrants.

Five million ethnic Hungarians live outside the country and 2.5 million of them live in much poorer neighbours like Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.

Supporters of a "Yes" said it could heal the hurt of a nation which lost two-thirds of its land after World War One.

"The other side won using a campaign of lies," said Miklos Patrubany, president of the World Federation of Hungarians, who alleged there had been vote rigging.

"This issue enjoys tremendous support and the only reason it could not prevail is due to... election fraud," Mr Patrubany said.

Some 2,000-3,000 people who had supported a "Yes" vote gathered outside Hungary's parliament carrying candles and as the outcome became clear, many wept openly.

Even if the "Yes" camp garners more votes, the vote will not be binding because of the predicted turnout of well under half of the eight million-strong electorate.

With 1.9 million votes counted by 1924 GMT, the electorate was split with 49.5 per cent backing Mr Gyurcsany's "No" call and 50.5 per cent backing the right wing Fidesz opposition's "Yes".

A win for the "Yes" camp in the event of at least 25 per cent of the entire electorate voting one way - another way the referendum could be binding for parliament - also looked certain to fail.

The idea of promoting the interests of Hungarians outside the country has always closely associated with Fidesz leader Viktor Orban, who lost power in the 2002 elections, and who had campaigned hard for a "Yes".