<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> St. Stephen's Day (National Day), 20 August (commemorates the founding of Hungarian state circa 1000 A.D.)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949, revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> in process of revision, moving toward rule of law based on Western model
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Arpad GONCZ (since 3 August 1990; previously interim president from 2 May 1990); election last held 3 August 1990 (next to be held NA 1995); results—President GONCZ elected by parliamentary vote; note—President GONCZ was elected by the National Assembly with a total of 295 votes out of 304 as interim President from 2 May 1990 until elected President
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Peter BOROSS (since 12 December 1993 on the death of Jozsef ANTALL); new prime minister will probably be Gyula HORN
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; elected by the National Assembly on recommendation of the president
<item><hi format=bold>National Assembly (Orszaggyules):</hi> elections last held on 8 and 29 May 1994 (next to be held spring 1998); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(386 total) Hungarian Socialist Party 209, Alliance of Free Democrats 70, Hungarian Democratic Forum 37, Independent Smallholders 26, Christian Democratic People's Party 22, Federation of Young Democrats 20, other 2
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Democratic Forum, Sandor LESZAK, chairman; Independent Smallholders (FKGP), Jozsef TORGYAN, president; Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), Gyula HORN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP), Dr. Lazlo SURJAN, president; Federation of Young Democrats (FIDESZ), Viktor ORBAN, chairman; Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), Ivan PETO, chairman
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> the Hungarian Socialist (Communist) Workers' Party (MSZMP) renounced Communism and became the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) in October 1989; there is still a small MSZMP