View source for Hungarian Socialist Party

{{Short description|Hungarian political party}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Hungarian Socialist Party
| native_name      = Magyar Szocialista Párt
| native_name_lang = hu
| logo             = Logo of the Hungarian Socialist Party.svg
| caption          = 
| colorcode        = {{Political party data|color}}
| abbreviation     = MSZP
| leader1_title    = President
| leader1_name     = [[Imre Komjáthi]]
| leader2_title    = Deputy President
| leader2_name     = [[Lajos Korózs]]
| leader3_title    = Vice President
| leader3_name     = {{plainlist|
* [[Zita Gurmai]]
* [[Andrea Kis]]
}}
| leader4_title    = Presidium
| leader4_name     = {{plainlist|
* [[Dávid Gyuris]]
* [[Judit Hajmási]]
* [[Dezső Hiszékeny]]
* [[Benjamin Korózs]]
* [[Roland Márton]]
* [[Patrik Pusztai]]
}}
| leader5_title    = Parliamentary leader
| leader5_name     = [[Bertalan Tóth]]
| founded          = {{start date and age|1989|10|07|df=y}}
| predecessor      = [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party]]
| headquarters     = 1114, [[Budapest]], Villányi út 11-13.
| newspaper        = 
| youth_wing       = Societas – Baloldali Ifjúsági Mozgalom
| membership_year  = 2021
| membership       = 5,000<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp8pmUSnGsg&t=1265s | title=Szabadon –Az MSZP végkiárusítása | website=[[YouTube]] | date=28 October 2022 }}</ref>
| national         = {{plainlist|
* [[Unity (Hungary)|Unity]] (2014)
* [[United for Hungary]] (2020–2022)
* [[DK–MSZP–Dialogue]] (2024)
}}
| ideology         = [[Social democracy]]<br>[[Pro-Europeanism]]
| position         = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]] to [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]
| european         = [[Party of European Socialists]]
| international    = {{plainlist|
* [[Progressive Alliance]]
* [[Socialist International]]
}}
| europarl         = 
| colours          = {{color box|{{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Political colour#Red|Red]]
| slogan           = 
<!-- Values obtained from Wikidata; to edit, see https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q753223 -->
| seats1_title     = [[National Assembly (Hungary)|National Assembly]]
| seats1           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|ms-lower-house}}
| seats2_title     = [[European Parliament]]
| seats2           = {{Political party data|seat composition bar|EP}}
| seats3_title     = [[List of county councils in Hungary|County Assemblies]]
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|1|381|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|1|33|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[General Assembly of Budapest]]
| flag             = Flag of the Hungarian Socialist Party.svg{{!}}border
| website          = {{Political party data|website}}
| country          = Hungary
}}
{{Politics of Hungary}}
The '''Hungarian Socialist Party''' ({{langx|hu|Magyar Szocialista Párt}} {{IPA|hu|ˈmɒɟɒr ˈsot͡siɒliʃtɒ ˈpaːrt|}}), commonly known by its acronym '''MSZP''' ({{IPA|hu|ˈɛmɛspeː|lang|Hu-MSZP.ogg}}), is a [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]]<ref name="House2013">{{cite book|author=Freedom House|title=Nations in Transit 2013: Democratization from Central Europe to Eurasia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y1ZzAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA255|date=24 December 2013|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|isbn=978-1-4422-3119-1|pages=255–}}</ref> to [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Szebeni |first1=Zea |last2=Lönnqvist |first2=Jan-Erik |last3=Jasinskaja-Lahti |first3=Inga |editor1-last=Rios |editor1-first=Kimberly |title=Social Psychological Predictors of Belief in Fake News in the Run-Up to the 2019 Hungarian Elections: The Importance of Conspiracy Mentality Supports the Notion of Ideological Symmetry in Fake News Belief |department=Personality and Social Psychology |journal=[[Frontiers in Psychology]] |publisher=[[Frontiers Media]] |publication-date=24 December 2021 |volume=12 |issue=790848 |page=4 |doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.790848 |doi-access=free |issn=1664-1078 |oclc=	701805890 |pmc=8740309 |pmid=35002884 }}</ref> [[social democracy|social democratic]]<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web|url=http://parties-and-elections.eu/hungary.html|title=Hungary|last=Nordsieck|first=Wolfram|date=2018|website=Parties and Elections in Europe}}</ref><ref name="Almeida">{{cite book|author=Dimitri Almeida|title=The Impact of European Integration on Political Parties: Beyond the Permissive Consensus|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oD7bKbo0FYEC&pg=PT71|access-date=14 July 2013|date=27 April 2012|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-136-34039-0|page=71}}</ref><ref name="Magone2010">{{cite book|author=José Magone|title=Contemporary European Politics: A Comparative Introduction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g73UtvxJsFcC&pg=PA456|access-date=19 July 2013|date=26 August 2010|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-203-84639-1|page=456}}</ref><ref name="KopeckýMair2012">{{cite book|author1=Petr Kopecký|author2=Peter Mair|author3=Maria Spirova|title=Party Patronage and Party Government in European Democracies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dViZGBiXpmUC&pg=PR165|date=26 July 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-959937-0|page=165}}</ref><ref name="Guardiancich2012">{{cite book|author=Igor Guardiancich|title=Pension Reforms in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe: From Post-Socialist Transition to the Global Financial Crisis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=APcO_fndhx0C&pg=PA95|date=21 August 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-22595-6|page=95}}</ref> and [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://europeelects.eu/hungary/ |title=Hungary - Europe Elects}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Batory |first=Agnes |date=November 2002 |title=The political context of EU accession in Hungary |url=https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Europe/hungarian.pdf |website=Chatham House |publisher=[[The Royal Institute of International Affairs]]}}</ref> [[list of political parties in Hungary|political party]] in [[Hungary]].

It was founded on 7 October 1989 as a [[End of communism in Hungary (1989)|post-communist]] evolution and one of two legal successors of the [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party]] (MSZMP). Along with its conservative rival [[Fidesz]], MSZP was one of the two most dominant parties in Hungarian politics until [[2010 Hungarian parliamentary election|2010]]; however, the party lost much of its popular support as a result of the [[Őszöd speech]], the consequent [[2006 protests in Hungary]], and then the [[2008 financial crisis]]. Following the 2010 election, MSZP became the largest opposition party in parliament, a position it held until [[2018 Hungarian parliamentary election|2018]], when it was overtaken by the [[Far-right politics|far-right]]-turned-[[Centre-right politics|centre-right]] [[Jobbik]].

==History==
[[File:Hungarian Socialist Party logo pre-2022.gif|thumb|Hungarian Socialist Party logo pre-2012]]
The MSZP evolved from the [[communism|communist]] [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party]] (or MSZMP), which ruled Hungary between 1956 and 1989. By the summer of 1989, the MSZMP was no longer a Marxist–Leninist party, and had been taken over by a faction of radical reformers who favoured jettisoning the Communist system in favour of a market economy. One of its leaders, [[Rezső Nyers]], the architect of the [[New Economic Mechanism]] in the 1960s and 1970s, was elected as chairman of a four-man collective presidency that replaced the old MSZMP Politburo. Although General Secretary [[Károly Grósz]], who had succeeded longtime leader [[János Kádár]] a year earlier, was elected to this body, Nyers now outranked him–and was thus now the de facto leader of Hungary.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Denise |date=1989-06-25 |title=Reformer to Head Hungary's Communist Party |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-06-25-mn-6443-story.html |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

At a party congress on 7 October 1989, the MSZMP dissolved and refounded itself as the MSZP, with Nyers as its first president.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harden |first=Blaine |date=1989-10-08 |title=HUNGARY FORMS NEW PARTY |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1989/10/08/hungary-forms-new-party/8ddedb71-cbb0-4215-8fbd-11ef65ef8835/ |access-date=2023-05-02 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> A marginal "Communist" faction led by Grósz broke away to form a revived Hungarian Communist Workers' Party, now known as the [[Hungarian Workers' Party]], the other successor of the MSZMP.

The decision to declare the MSZP a successor of the MSZMP was controversial, and still carries repercussions for both the MSZP and Hungary. Another source of controversy is that some members of the former communist elite maintained political influence in the MSZP. Indeed, many key MSZP politicians were active members or held leadership positions within the MSZMP (like [[Gyula Horn]] and [[László Kovács (politician)|László Kovács]]).

On economic issues, the Socialists have often been greater advocates of [[Economic liberalism|liberal]], [[free market]] policies than the conservative opposition, which has tended to favor more state interventionism in the economy through economic and price regulations, as well as through state ownership of key economic enterprises. The MSZP, in contrast, implemented a strong package of market reforms, austerity and [[privatization]] in 1995–96, called the [[Bokros package]], when Hungary faced an economic and financial crisis. According to researchers, the elites of the Hungarian 'left' (MSZP and SZDSZ) have been differentiated from the 'right' by being more supportive of the classical [[neo-liberal]] economic policies, while the 'right' (especially extreme right) has advocated more interventionist policies. In contrast, issues like church and state and former communists show alignment along the traditional left-right spectrum.<ref>Bodan Todosijević, "The Hungarian Voter: Left–Right Dimension as a Clue to Policy Preferences" in ''International Political Science Review'' (2004), Vol 25, No. 4, p. 421</ref> It is also noteworthy that, according to research, the MSZP elite's positions used to be closer to voters of the SZDSZ than to their own.<ref>Bodan Todosijević"The Hungarian Voter: Left–Right Dimension as a Clue to Policy Preferences" in ''International Political Science Review'' (2004), Vol 25, No. 4, p. 424</ref>

Besides a more liberal approach to the economy overall, the MSZP differentiated itself from the conservative opposition through its more recent focus on transforming state social policy from a collection of measures that benefit the entire population, such as subsidies available to all citizens, to one based on financial and social need.

Besides [[Gyula Horn]], the MSZP's most internationally recognized politicians were [[Ferenc Gyurcsány]] and [[László Kovács (politician)|László Kovács]], a former member of the [[European Commission]], responsible for taxation.

==Electoral history==
The MSZP faced the voters for the first time at the [[1990 Hungarian parliamentary election|1990 elections]], the first free elections held in Hungary in 44 years. It was knocked down to fourth place with only 33 seats.

Nyers handed the leadership to Horn, Hungary's last Communist foreign minister. Horn led the MSZP to an outright majority at the [[1994 Hungarian parliamentary election|1994 parliamentary election]]. Although the MSZP could have governed alone, he opted to form a coalition with the liberal [[Alliance of Free Democrats]] (SZDSZ). He not only wanted to allay concerns inside and outside Hungary of a former Communist party holding a majority, but needed the Free Democrats' votes to get economic reforms (what became the Bokros package) past his own party's left wing. Thus the MSZP was released from a so-called "political quarantine" imposed by the other Hungarian parties; during the first five years after the change of system, the other parties cooperated to shut out the MSZP from decision-making.

After being turned out of office in [[1998 Hungarian parliamentary election|1998]], the party was able to form a renewed centre-left coalition with the Free Democrats in [[2002 Hungarian parliamentary election|2002]].

At the [[2006 Hungarian parliamentary election|2006 elections]], MSZP won with 43.2% of party list votes, which gave it 190 representatives out of 386 in the [[National Assembly of Hungary|Parliament]]. The MSZP was therefore able to retain its coalition government from the previous term. In earlier elections, the MSZP polled 10.89% (1990), 32.98% (1994), 32.92% (1998) and 42.05% (2002).

After the successful [[2008 Hungarian fees abolishment referendum|fees abolishment referendum]], MSZP formed the first [[minority government]] of Hungary, following the SZDSZ's backing out of the coalition with a deadline of 1 May 2008.

===2010s decline===
On 21 March 2009 Gyurcsány announced his resignation as Prime Minister due to failure management of the [[Great Recession|economic crisis]].<ref name="Hungary’s Premier Offers to Resign">{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/world/22hungary.html?hp | work=The New York Times | title=Hungary's Premier Offers to Resign | first=Nicholas | last=Kulish | date=22 March 2009}}</ref><ref name="Hungarian PM offers to step down">{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/03/21/hungary.pm/index.html|title=Hungarian PM offers to step down|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref> [[Gordon Bajnai]] became the nominee of MSZP for the post of prime minister in March 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123840402537769209|title=Hungary's Ruling Party Picks Premier|author=Edith Balazs and Charles Forelle|date=31 March 2009|work=WSJ|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref> and he became Prime Minister on 14 April. Gyurcsány also resigned from his position of party chairman, which he had occupied since 2007.<ref name="xinhuanet">{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/29/content_11092242.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401174718/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/29/content_11092242.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 April 2009|title=Hungary's PM resigns post as Socialist Party chairman_English_Xinhua|access-date=14 February 2015}}</ref>

MSZP lost half of its supporters during the [[2009 European Parliament election in Hungary|European Parliament election in 2009]], receiving only 17.37% of the votes and gaining four seats compared to the previous nine seats. This electoral defeat marked the end of the ''de facto'' two-party system in Hungary, which had lasted since 1998.

The Hungarian Socialist Party suffered a heavy defeat in the [[2010 Hungarian parliamentary election|2010 election]] (won by [[Fidesz]] with a two-thirds majority), gaining only 19.3% of the votes, and 59 seats in the parliament. Following the resignation of [[Ildikó Lendvai]], the party's prime minister candidate [[Attila Mesterházy]] was elected Chairman of the Socialist Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vg.hu/kozelet/politika/mesterhazy-lett-az-mszp-elnoke-321486|title=Mesterházy lett az MSZP elnöke|work=VG|date=10 July 2010|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-date=12 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212112815/http://www.vg.hu/kozelet/politika/mesterhazy-lett-az-mszp-elnoke-321486|url-status=dead}}</ref> Nevertheless, MSZP became the biggest opposition party in Hungary.

The left-wing fragmented after the 2010 election; at first [[Katalin Szili]] left the MSZP to form [[Social Union (Hungary)|Social Union]] (SZU), following the similarly significant defeated [[2010 Hungarian local elections|local elections]] in October 2010, nevertheless Gyurcsány's detachment was a much worse disaster for the Socialists. Initially, the former PM wanted to reform the party, but his goals remained in the minority. As a result, Gyurcsány, along with nine other members of the parliamentary group, left MSZP and established [[Democratic Coalition (Hungary)|Democratic Coalition]] (DK). Thus MSZP's number of MPs reduced to 48.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.hu/20111022/gyurcsany-announces-departure-from-socialists-formation-of-new-western-civic-center-left-party/|title=Gyurcsány announces departure from Socialists, formation of new "Western, civic center-left" party|work=Politics.hu|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214223120/http://www.politics.hu/20111022/gyurcsany-announces-departure-from-socialists-formation-of-new-western-civic-center-left-party/|archive-date=14 February 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Socialist Party entered into an alliance with four other parties in January 2014 to contest the [[2014 Hungarian parliamentary election|April parliamentary election]]. Mesterházy was elected candidate for the Prime Minister position, but the [[Unity (Hungary)|Unity]] alliance failed to win. After that the electoral coalition disestablished.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 January 2014|url=http://www.politics.hu/20140108/socialists-to-delegate-pm-candidate-for-opposition-alliance/|title=Socialists to delegate PM candidate for opposition alliance|date=8 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109142729/http://www.politics.hu/20140108/socialists-to-delegate-pm-candidate-for-opposition-alliance/|archive-date=9 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> On the [[2014 European Parliament election in Hungary|2014 European Parliament election]], MSZP suffered the largest  defeat since the [[1990 Hungarian parliamentary election|1990 parliamentary election]], gaining third place and only 10% of the votes.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=27 May 2014|url=http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20140525-az-mszp-tamogatottsaganak-alakulasa-1990-ota.html|title=Egyetlen ábrán megnézheti az MSZP tragédiáját|date=25 May 2014}}</ref> After the obvious failure, Mesterházy and the entire presidium of the Socialist Party resigned.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=27 May 2014|url=http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20140526-mesterhazy-ujabb-lecket-kaptunk.html|title=Mesterházy: Újabb leckét kaptunk|date=25 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |access-date=29 May 2014|url=http://hvg.hu/itthon/20140529_Mesterhazy_rendkivuli_sajtotajekoztatot_t|title=Mesterházy lemondott az MSZP vezetéséről|date=29 May 2014}}</ref>

[[József Tóbiás]] was elected leader of the Socialist Party on 19 July 2014 following the resignation of Mesterházy.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hungarian Socialists picks Jozsef Tobias to head party|agency=Xinhua|date=20 July 2014|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-07/20/c_133496578.htm|access-date=30 May 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105554/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-07/20/c_133496578.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> He also became leader of the parliamentary group in September 2014. During his leadership, the Socialist Party won a parliamentary by-election (2014) and an important mayoral by-election ([[Salgótarján]]), however the party itself was permanently pushed back to the third place by far-right [[Jobbik]] according to the opinion polls. Tóbiás did not support the full cooperation and unification of the left-wing opposition parties against [[Viktor Orbán]]. During the MSZP party congress in June 2016, he was defeated by [[Gyula Molnár]], a former Socialist MP and mayor, who succeeded him as party chairman.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Elzavarták Tóbiást, Molnár Gyula az MSZP új elnöke |work=[[Index.hu]]|date=25 June 2016|url=http://index.hu/belfold/2016/06/25/elzavartak_tobiast_molnar_gyula_az_mszp_uj_elnoke/|access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref> In February 2016, the party decided to sell its headquarters at Jókai Street for financial reasons. In June 2018, Bertalan Tóth was elected president in the MSZP, shortly after the party suffered its worst electoral defeat since 1990.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://index.hu/belfold/2018/06/17/mszp_tisztujitas_mszp_elnoke_toth_bertalan_lett/|title=Tóth Bertalan az új elnök, Mesterházynak nem sikerült|last=Szabolcs|first=Dull|date=1 June 2018|access-date=18 June 2018|language=hu}}</ref>

The party further declined in the [[2019 European Parliament election in Hungary|2019 European election]], only scoring 6.61% of votes (even in alliance with [[Dialogue for Hungary]]) and being overtaken by the [[Democratic Coalition (Hungary)|Democratic Coalition]] and [[Momentum Movement|Momentum]]. In [[2019 Hungarian local elections|2019 local elections]] the party managed (due to cooperation with other parties) to win mayorships ir [[Érd]] and [[Szombathely]]. Also in these elections MSZP managed to win mayorships in those areas, where it never had a mayor since 1990 (e. g. [[Mohács]]).

The 2019 local election results caused resignations from the party on the local level (e. g. [[Szeged]] mayor [[Laszlo Botka]]).

In 2020, the party's congress supported a change to the party's structure. Instead of having one leader, the party would nominate two co-leaders – a man and woman (similar structure has been implemented in 2019 by the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hungarytoday.hu/socialists-opposition-2022-election/ |title=MSZP Urges Opposition Coordination for 2022 Election |website=hungarytoday.hu |date=25 June 2020 |access-date=26 June 2020 |archive-date=26 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626211955/https://hungarytoday.hu/socialists-opposition-2022-election/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Ideology ==
{{Social democracy sidebar}}
In political terms, the MSZP differentiates itself from its conservative opponents mainly in its rejection of [[Hungarian nationalism]]. The party is a member of the [[Progressive Alliance (political international)|Progressive Alliance]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://progressive-alliance.info/participants/|title=Participants|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302142054/http://progressive-alliance.info/participants/|archive-date=2 March 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[Socialist International]], and the [[Party of European Socialists]] (PES), and it holds a chairmanship and several vice-chairmanships in committees at the [[European Parliament]]. The MSZP is a [[centre-left]] to [[left-wing]] party, but it has historically been [[centrist]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Eastern Europe: Newsletter - Volumes 12-13 |quote= The MSZP's nominal coalition partner, the Alliance of Free Democrats, will probably be in opposition in the next parliament, about half way in the political spectrum between the centrist MSZP and the right-wing led by Victor Orban of the Federation of Young Democrats. |date=1998 |page=11 |publisher=Eastern Europe}}</ref>

==Election results==

=== National Assembly ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2| Election
! rowspan=2| Leader
! colspan=2| SMCs
! colspan=2| MMCs
! rowspan=2| Seats
! rowspan=2| +/–
! rowspan=2| Status
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
! [[1990 Hungarian parliamentary election|1990]]
| [[Rezső Nyers]]
| 504,995
| 10.18% (#4)
| 534,897
| 10.89% (#4)
| {{Composition bar|33|386|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| New
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1994 Hungarian parliamentary election|1994]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Gyula Horn]]
| 1,689,081
| 31.27% (#1)
| 1,781,867
| 32.99% (#1)
| {{Composition bar|209|386|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 176
| {{yes|Supermajority}}<br/>{{small|(MSZP-[[Alliance of Free Democrats|SZDSZ]])}}
|-
! [[1998 Hungarian parliamentary election|1998]]
| 1,332,412
| 29.82% (#1)
| 1,446,138
| 32.25% (#1)
| {{Composition bar|134|386|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 75
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2002 Hungarian parliamentary election|2002]]
| [[Péter Medgyessy]]
| 2,277,732
| 40.50% (#1)
| 2,361,983
| 42.05% (#1)
| {{Composition bar|178|386|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 44
| {{yes2|Coalition}}<br/>{{small|(MSZP-[[Alliance of Free Democrats|SZDSZ]])}}
|-
! [[2006 Hungarian parliamentary election|2006]]
| [[Ferenc Gyurcsány]]
| 2,175,312
| 40.26% (#1)
| 2,336,705
| 43.21% (#1)
| {{Composition bar|190|386|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
| {{yes2|Coalition}}<br/>{{small|(MSZP-[[Alliance of Free Democrats|SZDSZ]]) (2006-2008)}}<br/>{{small|(MSZP minority) (2008-2010)}}
|-
! [[2010 Hungarian parliamentary election|2010]]
| [[Attila Mesterházy]]
| 1,088,374
| 21.28% (#2)
| 990,428
| 19.30% (#2)
| {{Composition bar|59|386|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 131
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! rowspan=2| Election
! rowspan=2| Leader
! colspan=2| Constituency
! colspan=2| Party list
! rowspan=2| Seats
! rowspan=2| +/–
! rowspan=2| Status
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
! [[2014 Hungarian parliamentary election|2014]]{{efn|Run within [[Unity (Hungary)|Unity]] coalition.}}
| [[Attila Mesterházy]]
| 1,317,879
| 26.85% (#2)
| 1,290,806
| 25.57% (#2)
| {{Composition bar|29|199|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 30
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2018 Hungarian parliamentary election|2018]]{{efn|Run in coalition with [[Dialogue for Hungary]].}}
| [[Gergely Karácsony]]
| 622,458
| 11.31% (#3)
| 682,701
| 11.91% (#3)
| {{Composition bar|17|199|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 12
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[2022 Hungarian parliamentary election|2022]]{{efn|Run within [[United for Hungary]] coalition.}}
| [[Bertalan Tóth]]<br>[[Ágnes Kunhalmi]]
| 1,983,708
| 36.90% (#2)
| 1,947,331
| 34.44% (#2)
| {{Composition bar|10|199|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 7
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|}
{{Notelist}}

====Single Member Constituencies voting consistently for MSZP====
{{Update section|date=January 2025}}
The image shows Single Member Constituencies (or SMCs) voting for MSZP in 1998, 2002, 2006 in dark red, while showing SMCs voting for MSZP in 2002 and 2006 in red. The dark red districts are considered the strongest positions of the party. Most if not all districts shown in dark red and red also voted for MSZP in 1994, a landslide victory for the party. So actually, dark red districts have an even longer uninterrupted voting history of supporting MSZP.

[[File:Consecutive MSZP SMCs.png|thumb|center|500px|Consequently, MSZP SMCs won between 1998 and 2006]]

=== European Parliament ===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Election
! List leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/−
! EP Group
|-
! [[2004 European Parliament election in Hungary|2004]]
| [[László Kovács (politician)|László Kovács]]
| 1,054,921
| 34.30 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|9|24|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| New
| [[Group of the Party of European Socialists|PES]]
|-
! [[2009 European Parliament election in Hungary|2009]]
| [[Kinga Göncz]]
| 503,140
| 17.37 (#2)
| {{Composition bar|4|22|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| rowspan=3 | [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]]
|-
! [[2014 European Parliament election in Hungary|2014]]
| [[Tibor Szanyi]]
| 252,751
| 10.90 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|2|21|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 2
|-
! [[2019 European Parliament election in Hungary|2019]]{{efn|Run in a joint list with [[Dialogue for Hungary]].}}
| [[Bertalan Tóth]]
| 229,551 
| 6.61 (#4)
| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
! [[2024 European Parliament election in Hungary|2024]]{{efn|Run as part of the [[DK–MSZP–Dialogue]] coalition.}}
| [[Klára Dobrev]]
| 367,162	
| 8.03 (#3)
| {{Composition bar|0|21|hex={{party color|Hungarian Socialist Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| −
|}
{{Notelist}}

== Party leaders ==
{| class="wikitable"
! #
! Image
! Name
! Entered office
! Left office
! Length of Leadership
! Notice
|-
! 1
|[[File:Nyers Rezső 1970.jpg|60px]]
| [[Rezső Nyers]]
| 9 October 1989
| 27 May 1990
| {{ayd|1989|10|09|1990|05|27}} 
| President of the [[Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party|MSZMP]] in 1989
|-
! 2
| [[File:Gyula Horn (2007).jpg|60px]]
| [[Gyula Horn]]
| 27 May 1990
| 5 September 1998
| {{ayd|1990|05|27|1998|09|05}}
| Prime Minister 1994–98
|-
! 3
|[[File:MSZP Congress July 2014-07.JPG|60px]]
| [[László Kovács (politician)|László Kovács]]
| 5 September 1998
| 16 October 2004
| {{ayd|1998|09|05|2004|10|16}}
| Minister of Foreign Affairs 2002-04
|-
! 4
| [[File:Hiller István.jpg|60px]]
| [[István Hiller]] 
| 16 October 2004
| 24 February 2007
| {{ayd|2004|10|16|2007|02|24}}
| Minister of National Cultural Heritage 2003-05, Minister of Education and Culture 2006-10
|-
! 5
|[[File:Gyurcsany Ferenc-mszp-2-croped.jpg|60px]]
| [[Ferenc Gyurcsány]]
| 24 February 2007
| 5 April 2009
| {{ayd|2007|02|24|2009|04|05}}
| Prime Minister 2004–09
|-
! 6
| [[File:Lendvai Ildikó 2010-02-20 (crop).JPG|60px]]
| [[Ildikó Lendvai]]
| 5 April 2009
| 10 July 2010
| {{ayd|2009|04|05|2010|07|10}}
| 
|-
! 7
| [[File:Mesterházy Attila 2009-12-14.JPG|60px]]
| [[Attila Mesterházy]]
| 10 July 2010
| 29 May 2014
| {{ayd|2010|07|10|2014|05|29}}
| 
|-
! –
| [[File:Horn Gyula temetése Botka László.JPG|60px]]
| ''[[László Botka]]<br />(interim)''
| 31 May 2014
| 19 July 2014
| {{ayd|2014|05|31|2014|07|19}}
| Mayor of [[Szeged]] since 2002
|-
! 8
|[[File:Tobias Jozsef 2013-12-18.JPG|60px]]
| [[József Tóbiás]]
| 19 July 2014
| 25 June 2016
| {{ayd|2014|07|19|2016|06|25}}
| 
|-
! 9
|[[File:Molnár Gyula (MSZP.hu).jpg|60px]]
|[[Gyula Molnár]]
|25 June 2016
|17 June 2018
| {{ayd|2016|06|25|2018|06|17}}
| Mayor of [[Újbuda|Budapest XI.]] 2002–10
|-
!10
|[[File:Tóth Bertalan.jpg|60px]]
|[[Bertalan Tóth]]
|17 June 2018
|22 October 2022
| {{ayd|2018|06|17|2022|10|22}}
| Male co-chair after 2020
|-
!11
|[[File:Kunhalmi Ágnes.jpg|60px]]
|[[Ágnes Kunhalmi]]
|19 September 2020
|19 October 2024
|{{ayd|2020|09|19|2024|10|19}}
| Female co-chair
|-
! 12
|[[File:Komjáthi Imre.jpg|60px]]
|[[Imre Komjáthi]]
|22 October 2022
|''Incumbent''
| {{ayd|2022|10|22}}
| Male co-chair until 2024
|}

== See also ==
* [[Politics of Hungary]]
* [[Hungarian Communist Party]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|MSZP}}
*[http://www.mszp.hu Official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120321192820/http://bus.lsbu.ac.uk/resources/CIBS/european-institute-papers/papers2/499.PDF The Evolution and Development of the Hungarian Socialist Party. Dr Kate Hudson]
{{Hungarian political parties}}
{{Party of European Socialists}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hungarian Socialist Party}}
[[Category:Hungarian Socialist Party| ]]
[[Category:Political parties in Hungary]]
[[Category:Centre-left parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties in Hungary]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Hungary]]