Hungary’s Parliament: Yes to Democracy : East Bloc: A new republic is proclaimed, thus ending a 40-year Communist dictatorship.

In the glare of TV lights, Parliament on Wednesday adopted a series of constitutional amendments declaring Hungary a republic and marking the nation’s dramatic return to a multi-party democracy.

Deputies in a nationally televised session voted 333 to 5, with eight abstentions, to accept nearly 100 modifications to the 1949 constitution drawn up after the Communist takeover.

The vote formally ends one-party domination in the East Bloc nation, which was officially renamed the Republic of Hungary. Like other East Bloc nations, it had defined itself as a people’s republic in which all power belonged to the workers and the Communist Party was the leading force.

Under the modified constitution, Hungary will become an independent, democratic and constitutional republic asserting “the values of both bourgeois democracy and democratic socialism,” according to Justice Minister Kalman Kulcsar.

He said that the changes, affecting 90% of the old constitution, could be seen as creating a “transitional constitution” to change Hungary’s political system.

The new constitution not only sets the constitutional basis for the multi-party system but also codifies human and civil rights and separates the judiciary, executive and legislature.

Hungary’s first multi-party parliamentary elections since 1947 are due to take place by the middle of next year.

Among the 94 modifications were amendments eliminating all references to the leading role of the recently dissolved Hungarian Socialist Workers’ (Communist) Party.

“Political parties may be freely established and may freely function,” the amendment declared.

An entirely new constitution is to be drawn up and adopted by the new Parliament after the national elections, but Justice Minister Kulcsar has said the amendments are necessary to make next year’s elections legal.

In addition, they abolish the 21-member collective presidential council headed by Bruno Straub, nominally head of state, which had broad powers, including acting for Parliament when it was not sitting, as well as overruling parliamentary decisions. In its place, a new post of president of the republic has been created. This role will be filled by Speaker of Parliament Matyas Szuros until a presidential election takes place, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 26.

Szuros proclaimed Wednesday a historic day for Hungary.

“A parliamentary democracy and a legal state is being built in Hungary on the ruins of a dictatorship of sorts,” he told the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug.

Under the new amendments, the new president will be the commander in chief of the armed forces, is authorized to call national and regional elections, may initiate a referendum but may not be a leader of any political party.

The president may dissolve Parliament if it fails to approve a new government or votes for no-confidence in the government four times in one year.

A completely new constitution will be drafted by Parliament after the multi-party elections, which the must be held by next summer according to the amendments adopted Wednesday.

However, the chamber stalled on one key move toward democracy, postponing a decision on opposition calls for a referendum on when to elect the head of state. Government leaders want the election next month, but opposition leaders say it’s too soon.

The voting came on the heels of another landmark decision--the dissolution of the Communist Party and its replacement by the Hungarian Socialist Party, which has vowed commitment to a democratic system.

Before the key votes, Prime Minister Miklos Nemeth called an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss an opposition petition to postpone the election to the new state presidency until after next year’s parliamentary elections.

Some opposition parties say they have no time or resources to organize against Socialist Party candidate Imre Pozsgay. Banking on an overall opposition majority after next year’s elections, they want the president to be appointed by the new Parliament.