Rule by decree in Hungary ends on May 13

What is rule by decree in Hungary?

Since the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic in March 2020, Hungary has been ruled by decree (except for a break of 4 months in summer 2020). This was first introduced as a protective measure to allow the government to issue decisions quickly instead of waiting on lengthy parliamentary debates. Over the last 6 years, many new regulations were introduced as government decrees instead of laws.

Rule by decree ends now

The power to rule by decree was always granted to the government for short periods, but it was always extended. Now the latest such period will come to an end on May 13, without an extension. This would mean that the decrees issued over the last 6 years would suddenly lose their power.

Dialogue and predictability

To avoid the confusion that would ensue as a result of the sudden repeal of so many regulations, the new parliament made the decrees issued during the state of emergency into laws with one of its first regulations. This way the existing status quo will be maintained, and the new parliament will have time to reevaluate former decrees one by one, keeping other relevant laws in mind.

The new parliament is expected to perform its legislative work at a slower but steadier pace. There should be more room for dialogue with the public and consultations with representative bodies, resulting in a more predictable and stable legislative environment.

For now, nothing changes. Additionally, future changes will be introduced in a more organized fashion, through more transparent processes allowing more public debate, with timelines that will leave stakeholders enough time to make preparations required for maintaining compliance.

Helpers by your side

Helpers Hungary has been assisting foreigners living, working, and doing business in Hungary for 20 years. We always keep an eye on legislative developments relevant to business setup and immigration so we can provide our clients with up-to-date insight. Should you need help in Hungary, you can always trust our experts to come up with custom solutions for you.

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