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Hungary

Civil lawUnitary parliamentary republicReviewed· 2026-08-02
Capital
Budapest
Population
9,600,000
Languages
Hungarian
Currency
HUF
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Hungary · Rights

Rights in Hungary

What the atlas records on rights in Hungary, checked against the primary sources cited below.

Rights

The 2011 Fundamental Law and a narrowed constitutional complaint

Reviewed· 2026-08-02

The Fundamental Law replaced the 1949 constitution in 2012 and has been amended many times. The Constitutional Court still hears individual complaints, but the 2011 reform removed the old actio popularis, so abstract review is now reserved to a defined list of applicants.

Key rules

  • Only defined public bodies, and not any citizen, may seek abstract review of a statute.
  • An individual complaint requires a violation in a concrete case and exhausted remedies.
  • Amendment requires a two-thirds majority of all Members of Parliament.
  • Cardinal statutes on core subjects also need a two-thirds majority to change.

Governing law

  • Fundamental Law of Hungary (2011)In force since 1 January 2012.
  • Act CLI of 2011 on the Constitutional Court (2011)Complaint procedure and standing.

In practice

A complaint must reach the court that decided the case within 60 days of service, and it is that court which forwards the file, so filing directly in Budapest wastes the deadline.

Sources

Rights

A single Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and the ECHR

Reviewed· 2026-08-02

The Fundamental Law's Freedom and Responsibility chapter lists rights, and Hungary has been party to the ECHR since 1992. The separate data protection and minority ombudsmen were merged in 2012 into one Commissioner for Fundamental Rights with deputies.

Key rules

  • The Commissioner may investigate any authority and ask the Constitutional Court to review a norm.
  • Restrictions on rights must be necessary, proportionate and respect the essential content.
  • Recognised nationalities have collective rights including self-government bodies.
  • ECtHR judgments are binding, and pilot judgments on prison conditions led to a domestic compensation scheme.

Governing law

  • Fundamental Law, Freedom and Responsibility (2011)Catalogue of fundamental rights.
  • Act CXI of 2011 on the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights (2011)
  • Act CXXV of 2003 on equal treatment (2003)Equality body functions moved to the Commissioner in 2021.

In practice

Since 2021 the Equal Treatment Authority no longer exists as a separate body, so discrimination complaints go to the Commissioner or straight to court.

Sources

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