A look at Hungary’s EU refugee referendum

Hungary is holding a referendum over the European Union’s plan to set mandatory quotas for the distribution of refugees among member states

Question: “Do you want the European Union to be able to order the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary even without the consent of parliament?”

ORIGINS OF REFERENDUM

May 2015 In response to refugee crisis,EU proposes to relocate 40,000 asylum seekers from Italy and Greece to other member states

Sep: Numbers to be relocated increased to 160,000 – including 54,000 from Hungary to elsewhere in EU. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (above) refuses to take part

Feb 2016: Orban announces referendum over permanent EU planfor refugee relocation. Plan could see member states fined €250,000 for each refugee they refuse to take

OPINIONS IN HUNGARY*

76 percent of people surveyed think refugees would increase likelihood of terrorism

82 percent think refugees would burden country bytaking jobs and social security benefits

*Pew Research Centre survey, Apr-May 2016

Yes No

First time asylum applicants (share in EU total, 2015)

Hungary 13.9% Almost 175,000 applicants –highest number in proportion to its population

Germany 35.2%

Others

Sweden 12.4%

Austria 6.8%

Italy 6.6%

France 5.6%

Total 1,255,640

OUTCOME  OF VOTE

Hungary: Government “no”campaign seen as likely to win. At least 50 percent of eligible voters must take part for result to be valid

Visegrad Group: Hungary’s fellow members – Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia – also oppose refugee relocation, and could use “no” vote to advance EU treaty reform proposals

Sources: Eurostat, Euronews, Stratfor

Pictures: Associated Press, Twitter