Court: Socialists can seek referendum against Sunday closings

Socialist MP István Nyakó at the National Election Office this morning. (Photo: MTI/Szilárd Koszticsák)

On February 23, Nyakó went to the National Election Committee (NVB) office to petition for the right to hold a referendum against the Sunday closings law, which went into effect last year. Nyakó said he was obstructed by heavy-set bald men on that day, and as a result, a woman calling herself Mrs. Erdősi, who is apparently the wife of a former Fidesz mayor, was able to file a referendum supporting the Sunday closings law. Since only one referendum is allowed on a specific topic, Nyakóʼs referendum against the law was effectively blocked by Mrs. Erdősi.

The Socialists claimed that Nyakó was physically prevented from conducting his democratic business by the thugs who accosted him outside the NVB office and said their referendum application should be accepted instead of Mrs. Erdősi’s. The top court agreed.

Now the Socialists can start collecting signatures. If they collect 200,000 signatures, a referendum can be held in Hungary about the following question: “Do you agree that the Hungarian Parliament should eliminate the legislation restricting retailers to stay open on Sundays?”