Alkotmányos rendszerváltás

The collapse of dictatorial socialism and the establishment of democratic pluralism in Hungary between 1987 and 1990 can be regarded as having occurred in a "Hungarian way". Changes were implemented peacefully through negotiation and within a constitutional-legal framework. The change of regime can be divided into three one-year phases. Intellectual preparation and the strengthening of the forces of reform within the MSZMP (Hungarian Socialist Labour Party) continued from the summer of 1987 to the end of May 1988. In the second period, the opposition round table is organised which then acts in concert during the negotiations. In the first half of 1989 it is still the totalitarian state parliament that passes the first set of democratic transformation laws. The National Round Table meet in the summer when agreement is reached with the new leaders of MSZMP. It is still the old government that passes "the fundamental laws of democratic transformation" and on 23rd October 1989 the republic is declared. The first free parliament, the new government and the president of the republic are elected in the third period. The process of constitutional transformation essentially ended in the autumn of 1990 with the first democratic local authority elections.