The representation of women in the government decision making in Hungary. Woman’s participation at the middle-level

Abstract

The goal of this paper to examine women's participation in Hungarian government decision making not only at ministerial level but also at state secretary level because political and bureaucratic state secretaries play important role in decision making process, too. The only place in the political decision making in Hungary where women can appear larger number is a deputy state secretary position. There are two reasons in the background: Hungarian political culture and political tradition and gate-keeper role of parties in recruitment process of powerful positions in cabinets. The paper covers the 1990-2014 period and shows changing of women's participation at different governments and in varying government structure. The results are based on an empirical database which concludes data about top ministerial executive bodies. The database includes all political and bureaucratic leaders of governments from 1990 to June 2006 and from 2010 to June 2014.

Full text

DOI : 10.14746/pp.2016.21.4.9
Éva VÁNYI
Budapest, Hungary
The representation of women in the government decision making
in Hungary. Woman’s participation at the middle-level
Abstract: The goal of this paper to examine women’s participation in Hungarian government decision
making not only at ministerial level but also at state secretary level because political and bureaucratic
state secretaries play important role in decision making process, too. The only place in the political
decision making in Hungary where women can appear larger number is a deputy state secretary posi-
tion. There are two reasons in the background: Hungarian political culture and political tradition and
gate-keeper role of parties in recruitment process of powerful positions in cabinets. The paper covers
the 1990–2014 period and shows changing of women’s participation at different governments and in
varying government structure. The results are based on an empirical database which concludes data
about top ministerial executive bodies. The database includes all political and bureaucratic leaders of
governments from 1990 to June 2006 and from 2010 to June 2014.
Key words: women, participation, representation, government decision making, Hungary
Introduction
Politics in Central-Europe is the world of men. It is true also in Hungary: the repre-
sentation of women in the political decision making is very low. The rate of women
among Members of Parliament’s is approximately 10% (Kelemen, 2008, p. 69; Ilonszki,
2013, p. 51) and among ministers is average only 8% (Ványi, 2015, p. 126).
The goal of this paper to examine women’s participation in Hungarian government de-
cision making not only at ministerial level but also at state secretary level because political
and bureaucratic state secretaries play important role in decision making process, too.
The only place in the political decision making in Hungary where women can appear
larger number is a deputy state secretary position. The main research questions of this
chapter are:
which positions are open for women in cabinets, –
why can they be visible at the middle-level, –
and whether are there woman-specic policy eld in governments. –
The paper covers the 1990–2014 period and shows changing of women’s participa-
tion at different governments and in varying government structure. My results are based
on an empirical database which concludes data about top ministerial executive bodies.
The database includes all political and bureaucratic leaders of governments from 1990 to
June 2006 and from 2010 to June 2014. Between 2006 and 2010 based on the law which
regulated secretaries legal status there were not any administrative state secretaries at
ministries and deputy state secretaries had other legal status at ministries than earlier.1
1 Data were collected from civil servants biographies that were published in Hungarian Government
Almanacs (Kajdi et al., 1994; Kiss et al., 1998; Kovács n.d, Ughy, 2006) and on the Internet. Database

120 Éva VÁNYI PP 4 ’16
Based on the Hungarian Constitution and Fundamental Law government is formed
by appointment ministers and is governing until the new election or until the end of the
prime minister’s mandate. The scholarly literature understands government cycles in
a different way. New government is formed after the new election, changes the prime
minister or change a party composition of government (Müller, Strom, 2000; Wolden-
dorp et al., 2000). In this sense there were ten governments in the examined period in
Hungary.
Hungarian political and institutional framework
Political framework
The renewal of the Hungarian Constitution (Law XX/1949) after regime change
and later The Fundamental Law (The Fundamental Law of Hungary, 2011) declares the
Prime Minister’s very powerful role in the political system. The mandates of government
and positions of ministers depend on the Prime Minister. The constructive no condence
vote stabilizes Prime Ministers because they can only be removed by parliament if par-
liament agrees on an alternative prime ministerial candidate; also, individual ministers
cannot be made accountable by parliament, the Prime Minister holds responsibility for
government. The mandate of government ends when the Prime Minister leaves his or her
ofce. Ministers are appointed by the Head of State but suggested by Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister can propose removal of ministers to the Head of State.
Last decades the concept of leader democracy has been formulated (Körösényi, 2005)
meaning that Prime Minister – party leaders dominate formal and informal politics as well.
The framework of chancellor democracy has been formed and when the Prime Minister’s
Ofce developed into a “real” ministry in 1998 this elevated role of the PM was conrmed.
The impact of presidentialisation (Körösényi, 2001) of politics and leader democracy has
changed the style of governance. Ferenc Gyurcsány in 2006 and Viktor Orbán in 2010 have
declared ‘political governance’ meaning that the policy of government is dened by Prime
Minister. The law which regulated the status of government members and state secretaries
(Law LVII/2006 and Law XLIII/2010) states that “The Prime Minister denes the general
direction of policy within the framework of the government’s program.”, and “minister
heads ministry within the framework of government’s general policy”.2
Institutional framework
1. Government structure
After the regime change the rst government did not change the system of government
fundamentally. In the last one-party cabinet there were 13 ministries and The National
includes ministerial leaders’ gender, age, lled position, number of days in position, profession before and
after ministerial appointment, party membership and nomenclature position before regime change.
2 Translated by author.

PP 4 ’16 The representation of women in the government decision making... 121
Plan Ofce which was responsible to implement the Five Years Plans which were also
mentioned as ministry in law (Law 1987/VII). From 1990 to 2010 the government con-
sisted of ministry with its own portfolio regarding the economic and social structure of
the country. There was the Prime Minister’s Ofce in all cabinets but until 1998 it was
not a ministry and it was led by administrative state secretary during the Antall, the
Boross and the Horn cabinets. In the 2nd Orbán government there were 5 integrated min-
istries from 8 that included more portfolios within one ministry. The status of the Prime
Minister’s Ofce was changed in this cabinet, it was led by political secretary.
2. Laws
The appointment and de-selection of members of government and state secretaries are
regulated laws in Hungary. Based on status laws politicians play role in appointing ex-
ecutive state secretaries.
Parties had goal after systemic change to separate political and expert decision-making
and competencies on the government level. These original goals have been inuenced by
political reality and the legal-constitutional and the political have not developed in har-
mony. The rst law (Law XXXIII/1990) was accepted in 1990. Political and executive
secretaries tasks and rights were clearly separated in law. Administrative state secretary
and deputy state secretary were delegated as executive leaders of ministries. Administra-
tive secretary guided bureaucracy of the Ministry under the direction of the Minister,
the legal and professional requirements. The exact task of deputy state secretary has
not been stated in this law. The appointment of executive secretaries was regulated dif-
ferent way: administrative state secretary was appointed by the Head of State based on
the nomination of the Prime Minister which happens before the Prime Minister gets the
portfolio minister’s opinion. Deputy state secretary was appointed by minister suggested
by administrative state secretary. Duration of the two positions was indenite.
In 1997 a general regulation was put in place concerning both the members of gov-
ernment (cabinet ministers) and state secretaries (Law LXXIX/1997). The Prime Minis-
ter, the ministers and the political state secretaries were regarded as political, while the
administrative state secretary and the deputy secretaries as administrative leaders. The
ways of the appointment of executive secretaries were the same as in the rst 1990 law.
The second law regulated the conditions of nomination and removal of executives in de-
tail. Only those ones could be appointed in these positions who graduated and had a spe-
cial administrative exam. The law provided possibility of more public service career for
executives if they were removed from their positions with offering a new administrative
top position or paying some monthly severance. This rule would have guaranteed conti-
nuity of secretaries in their positions after government changed.
With regards to the above laws meant a change of attitude the newest status law for
members of government and secretaries (Law LVII/2006). The new rationale of the law
was that government’s work is fundamentally political. The ministers became both the
political and administrative leaders in their ministry and became responsible for both
areas. The administrative state secretary position was terminated and was nominated to
special state secretaries. Based on law they had the same rights and tasks as former depu-
ty secretaries and they could be appointed by the same educational conditions. However
it was two important changes regarding special state secretaries’ positions in law. They

122 Éva VÁNYI PP 4 ’16
term in ofce was adapted to government’s term i.e. the special state secretaries were
nominated for dened time until the government cycle. Connected to political govern-
ance attitude of Ferenc Gyurcsány the special state secretaries were appointed by the
Prime Minister. Having this authority the Prime Minister had inuence over all levels of
government: ministers and political secretaries were personally recommend to the Head
of State by the Prime Minister and special secretaries shall be appointed by him based on
the suggestion of the portfolio minister.
The Law XLIII/2010 old-new ways regulated the legal status of members of govern-
ment. On one hand the law distinguished again political and administrative levels of
ministerial leaders (see in law 1997). But on the other hand it incorporated the changed
system of appointing from the 2006 status law. Administrative secretary and deputy sec-
retaries were nominated again in all ministries for indenite time with special education
conditions. (Ilonszki, Ványi, 2011; Ványi, 2011)
3. Session of Administrative State Secretaries
In the Hungarian governmental decision making a special body of administrative state
secretaries plays important role. The Session of Administrative State Secretaries (SASS)
was the highest level of administrative conciliation about governmental decisions before
cabinet meeting until 2006 and is the same from 2010 again. All of the administrative
secretaries are the members of SASS and it is led by administrative state secretary of the
Prime Minister’s Ofce until 2006 and from 2014 again. Between 2010 and 2014 it was
led by administrative secretary of Ministry of Public Administration and Justice because
the scope of bureaucratic authority was delegated to this ministry.
The task of this body control proposals that ministers suggested to discuss in cabinet
meetings. If proposals were not prepared properly based on laws and former negotiations
in ministries they would not be presented in cabinet meeting. In this gate-role admin-
istrative secretaries are between politics and neutral civil service because they have to
weigh up based on also political interest not only on clear bureaucratic consideration
(Pesti, 2000). Due to special role in political decision making process of administrative
state secretaries their positions are important in cabinets.
Women’s representation in the Hungarian government decision making
Between 1990 and spring of 2014 ten cabinets served in Hungary. The Table 1 shows the
number of cabinets in political and bureaucratic leader positions. In Hungarian governments
served 7 prime ministers, 140 ministers, 195 political state secretaries, and 100 administrative
state secretaries and 453 deputy state secretaries in the examined period. (Ványi, 2015)
.
However Table 1 shows not only these numbers because the members of govern-
ments served many cases not only one position in the government. One can lled in more
ofce in the same cabinet (e.g. political state secretary and minister, more secretary posi-
tions etc.). Due to this fact the numbers in following tables refer to members of cabinets
in each positions.3 The number of bureaucratic leaders of ministries does not include
3 Cf. all double-positioned person is counted in each position in all government but the number of
double positions less than 10% so this variance does not inuence disgure results.

PP 4 ’16 The representation of women in the government decision making... 123
special state secretaries between 2006 and 2010 based on status law 2006 in which this
group was declared as a part of political appointment connected to theory of political
government.
Table 1
Hungarian cabinets 1990–2014
Num-
ber of
cabinet
Term and Prime
Minister
Number
of
Ministries
Number of
Ministers*
Number of
(Political) Sta-
te Secretaries
Number
of Admin.
Secretaries
Number
of Deputy.
Secretaries
Number
of mem-
bers of
cabinets
Political leaders Bureaucratic leaders
1. Antall, József
05.1990–12.1993
13 30 29 27 90 176
2. Boross, Péter
12.1993–07.1994
13 18 17 14 54 103
3. Horn, Gyula
07.1994–07.1998
12 26 20 20 102 168
4. Orbán, Viktor
07.1998–05.2002
16 29 37 31 127 224
5. Medgyessy, Péter
05.2002–09.2004
15 25 31 24 97 177
6. Gyurcsány, Ferenc
10.2004–06.2006
15 22 29 22 92 165
7. Gyurcsány, Ferenc
06.2006–04.2008
12 19 30 not relevant
data
not relevant
data
49
8. Gyurcsány, Ferenc
05.2008–04.2009
13 17 24 not relevant
data
not relevant
data
41
9. Bajnai, Gordon
04.2009–05.2010
13 18 22 not relevant
data
not relevant
data
40
10. Orbán, Viktor
05.2010–05.2014
8 13 53 13 142 221
* – included Prime Ministers.
Source: Author’s research dataset.
Gender composition of governments
Gender composition of Hungarian cabinets is similar as in the Parliament. Women are
lled in government positions low proportion. Women has been appointed only 12.9%
in examined period. There is also difference between political and bureaucratic leader
positions. Table 2 shows that the average of total government rate is increased by women
in deputy state secretary positions. Number of women in political leader positions and
in the administrative state secretary positions in cabinets is the same that number of
women among Members of Parliament. The rate of women in Hungarian parliament was
9.5% between 1990 and 2006 (B. Kelemen, 2008, p. 69) and approximate proportion
of women is parliament elected in 2014. At the present time there are 20 women from
199 MPs (10.05%).4
4 Data’s source: Hungarian National Assembly Offcial Webpage, http://www.parlament.hu/,
14.11.2015.

124 Éva VÁNYI PP 4 ’16
Hungary has never had woman Prime Minister yet and women lled in larger
number the second rather top positions in government except in the Medgyessy cabi-
net. Women ministers served in all governments except Boross and Bajnai govern-
ment, although their rate – just 17 person (8.21%) is low in important decision-making
positions.
Table 2
Women in Hungarian cabinets 1990–2014
Prime
Minister Minister
(Political)
State
Secretary
Administrative
State Secretary
Deputy Sta-
te Secretary
Male/
Female
Antall
government
Male 1 28 25 26 85 165
Female – 1 4 1 511 (6.25%)
Boross
government
Male 1 17 15 13 52 98
Female – – 2 1 25 (4.85%)
Horn
government
Male 1 23 17 18 91 150
Female – 2 3 211 18 (10.71%)
I. Orbán
government
Male 1 27 31 28 109 196
Female – 1 6 3 18 28 (12.5%)
Medgyessy
government
Male 1 19 29 22 75 146
Female – 5 2 2 22 31 (17.51%)
I. Gyurcsány
government
Male 1 19 28 20 70 138
Female – 2 1 2 22 27 (16.36%)
II. Gyurcsány
government
Male 1 15 27
not relevant
data
not relevant
data
43
Female – 3 36 (12.24%)
III. Gyurcsány
government
Male 1 14 21 36
Female – 2 35 (12.19%)
Bajnai
government
Male 1 17 20 38
Female – – 22 (5.0%)
II. Orbán
government
Male 1 11 47 9 110 178
Female – 1 6 4 32 43 (19.45%)
Men: 10 190 260 136 592 sum men 1188
Women: 0 17
(8.21%)
32
(10.95%)
15
(9.93%)
112
(15.9%)
sum women
176
(12.9%)
Source: Author’s research dataset.
Larger participation of women in political decision making is raised by parties sev-
eral times since the regime change so far without result. The bill made by liberal MPs
about compulsory gender equality quota has not been accepted by parliament in 2007.
So parties have right to decide about proportion of women representation in ofces (Il-
onszki, Várnagy, 2007; Ilonszki, 2009). Hungarian Socialist Party has volunteer gender
quota: 20% from MP candidates must be female. Two new parties the “Politics Can be
Different” and the “Dialogue for Hungary” use parity norm in party leadership: both of
them has one woman and one man.
Data in table 2 shows that politics is still world of men in Hungary. There is not rel-
evant different among left-wing and right-wing parties.

PP 4 ’16 The representation of women in the government decision making... 125
Figure 1. Women in the left-wing and right-wing cabinets 1990–2014
25
20
15
10
5
0
19,45
5,00
12,19
12,24
16,36
17,51
12,50
10,71
4,85
6,25
Antall (right)
Boross (right)
Horn (left)
1st Orbán (right)
Medgyessy (left)
1nd Gyurcsány (left)
2st Gyurcsány (left)
3th Gyurcsány (left)
Bajnai (left)
2nd Orbán (right)
Source: Author’s research dataset.
Women were appointed the largest proportion at Medgyessy and 2nd Orban cabinet
exceeding 10% rate of political elite. Comparing this data to data in Table 2 clearly
shows that larger rate of women in governments is caused by larger number of women
in deputy state secretary positions. Proportion of political leaders of ministries after re-
gime change is correspond with women’s rate among MPs. Only in Medgyessy cabinet
between 2002 and 2004 were number of woman ministers signicantly higher (5 woman
ministers, 20%) because of upcoming accession to the European Union in this period.
The equal opportunity criteria and expectations were inuenced on government structure
(Ilonszki, 2013) and composition of cabinet. There were special EU focused positions in
the cabinet like minister without portfolio to organize EU Affairs and minister without
portfolio for Equal Opportunity that was lled in by women.5
Representation at middle level
Data conrms that women are appointed larger number in second, deputy positions
both on politics-and bureaucratic-leader level in ministries
As it was mentioned above Hungary has never had woman Prime Minister yet. The
proportion of women is the lowest among ministers except in Medgyessy cabinet (see
Table 2). The European experiences shows that successful woman politicians are often
who represent special women issues e.g. women in labor market, political representation
etc (Kiss, 2005). However in case of Hungarian woman ministers is less discovered this
special “female issues-female politicians” context. Woman ministers their own positions
have not to thank for representing woman issues but for professional skills in their own
job or for their own leader-position in coalition parties. The most of woman ministers
were appointed in portfolio tting their career-path before ministerial ofce. Two aspects
5 At the beginning of Medgyessy cabinet Katalin Lévai lled in this position. After she was elected
as MEP in 2004 position was lled in by Kinga Göncz.

126 Éva VÁNYI PP 4 ’16
of appointment are linked also several times. Ibolya David minister of justice in rst
Orban government was nominated to this position less than she was a female politicians
but she represented Hungarian Democratic Forum one of coalition parties in this cabinet.
However her portfolio matched with her pervious professional lawyer career.
Figure 2. Women among politicians and bureaucrats in Hungarian cabinets
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0Prime Minister Minister Political State
Secretary Administrative
State Secretary Deputy State
Secretary
15,9
9,93
10,95
8,21
0,0
Source: Author’s research dataset.
Katalin Levai minister of equal opportunity in Medgyessy cabinet had a special in-
vers political career. She dealt with women’s equality issues before her ministerial ap-
pointment, she published also articles this policy eld. As MEP after ministerial position
she dealt with women issues in European Parliament from 2004 to 2009. However her
political career could not be considered typical female political career path because of
her sort political job. Before and after her ministerial and MEP positions Katalin Lévai
did not participate in politic life.
Special woman political career could not take into consideration in case of nomina-
tion of political state secretary positions. This position in the Hungarian political system
is obviously political position due to political character of persons who lled in these po-
sitions. The most of them were in other political positions before ministerial appointment
(e.g. (MP and/or member of local committee, major, party leader) (Ilonszki, Ványi, 2011;
Ványi, 2015, p. 184). But career studies made among woman political state secretaries
show clearly that women were recruited in these positions based on political and profes-
sional career path, too. Degree of woman political state secretaries had impact on portfo-
lio where they were appointed. They hold political leader position in ministries in which
policy eld they had competence by their professional career before appointment.
In summary base of recruitment of woman political leaders (ministers and political
state secretaries) in Hungarian governments is professional skills, party leader positions
or execution a political program like in case of Medgyessy cabinet. Nomination and
appointment to top leaders cabinets position in Hungary is up to decision of parties and
Prime Ministers and it less based on gender-aspects.
Administrative state secretary and deputy state secretary positions of ministries are
bureaucratic leader position based on Hungarian status laws. Although women are the

PP 4 ’16 The representation of women in the government decision making... 127
largest number in deputy state secretary positions career studies made among woman
bureaucratic state secretaries conrm that gender aspects do not play role their appoint-
ment. The most of woman administrative and deputy state secretaries had previous bu-
reaucratic experience before their appointment (60% of administrative state secretaries
and 58.9%6 of deputy state secretaries) and it can be generally said that they were ap-
pointed in degree-compatibility policy eld in cabinets.
Which level of positions?
Based on Jacob-Scherpereel and Adams’s article (2014) I was very interested in
the level of positions what women could reach in cabinets. The mentioned paper in-
vestigated the impact of international gender norms on the cabinet members between
1979 and 2009.7 One of their hypothesis was that gender balanced norms adopted by
the most of countries in the world have a larger impact to representation of women in
cabinets and less at parliamentary level. The second hypothesis of article was that the
gender norms have stronger impact on appointments at low-prestige positions of cabi-
nets. Since both of examined gender norms (CEDAW, 1979 and Beijing Platform for
Action, 19958) which offer average 30% women’s participation in politics were ratied
by Hungary I tested in my own research which level of cabinet positons are opened for
women in Hungary.
Basis of separation of cabinet positions was the method used by quoted authors
(Jacob, Scherpereel, Adams, 2014, p. 326). Positions in Ministry of Interior, Defense,
Economic Affairs, Finance and Foreign Affairs were coded as high-prestige positions
and others like social affairs, culture, education, health were low-prestige positions.
Table 3
Women in high-prestige and low-prestige positions in Hungarian cabinets 1990–2014
Minister (Political) Sta-
te Secretary
Administrative
State Secretary
Deputy State
Secretary
1 2 3 4 5 6
Antall
government
high-prestige 1 1 – 1
low-prestige 3 1 4
Boross
government
high-prestige – – – 2
low-prestige – 2 1 –
Horn
government
high-prestige 1 1 – 5
low-prestige 1 2 2 6
I. Orbán
government
high-prestige – 2 1 9
low-prestige 1 4 2 9
6 Biography data connected to 2nd Orban government is decient. 13 biography is missing now
from 32 woman deputy state secretaries.
7 Author’s data come from the CIA’s Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Govern-
ments report 1979–2009 in ve-year intervals (1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009) (Jacob,
Scherpereel, Adams, 2014, p. 327).
8 CEDAW convention was ratied in 1982, and an action plan based on Beijing Platfrom for Ac-
tion was accepted in 1997. http://szmm.gov.hu/main.php?folderID=996&articleID=31405&ctag=artic
lelist&iid=1.

128 Éva VÁNYI PP 4 ’16
1 2 3 4 5 6
Medgyessy
government
high-prestige 1 – – 8
low-prestige 4 2 2 14
I. Gyurcsány
government
high-prestige 1 – 1 8
low-prestige 1 1 1 14
II. Gyurcsány
government
high-prestige 2 2
not
relevant
data
not
relevant
data
low-prestige 1 1
III. Gyurcsány
government
high-prestige 1 2
low-prestige 1 1
Bajnai
overnment
high-prestige – 1
low-prestige – 1
II. Orbán
government
high-prestige 1 4 3 29
low-prestige 2 1 3
Source: Author’s research dataset.
The Table 3 shows that participation of women in low-prestige cabinet positions is
signicant larger than high-prestige positions both at political and bureaucrats level.
High-prestige positions lled by women are various. Women were represented at all
of mentioned high-prestige eld in cabinets. The most of low-prestige positions lled
by women are social affairs, helth, equal opportunity and education and culture. This
picture is similar than other countries in the world. Based on data collected by Inter-
Parliamentary Union in 2010 and 20159 women are represented the larger proportion in
following portfolios.
Table 4
Portfolios held by women 2010, 2015*
2010 2015
Social Affairs Social Affairs
Family/Children/Youth Affairs Environment/Natural Recources/Energy
Environment/Natural Recources/Energy Woman’s Affairs/Gender Equality
Woman’s Affairs/Gender Equality Family/Children/Youth Affairs
Employment/Labour/Vocational Training Culture
* – Table refers just only 1–5 portfolio/year.
Source: Inter-parliamentary Union Survey.
However data represent some interesting exception. Traditionally there is an opinion
in European society and especially in Central Europe that right-wing parties represent
the idea that women do not want to take part in politics and world of politics is not world
of women. However it seems on the table that in the rst Orban-government was the
number at deputy state secretary position equal in high-and low-prestige positions, and
the number of women at political state secretary position and deputy state secretary posi-
tion is larger than low-prestige positions.
9 Women in Politics: 2010, Map includes data about 188 countries, http://www.ipu.org/pdf/pub-
lications/wmnmap10_en.pdf; and Women in Politics: 2015, Map includes data about 191 countries,
http://www.ipu.org/pdf/publications/wmnmap15_en.pdf.

PP 4 ’16 The representation of women in the government decision making... 129
These data are very important regarding change of government structure in 2010.
The government decision making process has fundamentally changed in the new inte-
grated ministry structure. The political state secretary is responsible for making public
policy in her or his own special policy eld and based on law (Law XLIII/2010) minister
heads ministry within framework of the general policy of the government. This task and
responsibility of political state secretaries in political decision making throw new light
upon the status and number of women at this position in the second Orban government.
Another noteworthy fact is that second and third Gyurcsany government where bu-
reaucratic leaders of ministries were in political position based on ‘political governance’
theory of prime minister in, women were appointed larger number at high-prestige posi-
tion. These not average proportion of women in some Hungarian cabinets tones the pic-
ture about representation of women in politics in Hungary although the overall picture
shows that status of women in Hungarian cabinets similar than the most of countries in
the world. Proportion of women in Hungarian cabinets is lower than offered by Inter-
national Organizations and they are rather low-prestige positions like social affairs and
education and culture.
Conclusion
The nal question is why is this situation in Hungary? What is the reason the wom-
en’s underrepresentation in the political decision making in Hungary after the regime
change? Based on offers of international organizations the proportion of women in poli-
tics would have been approximately 30%. Even so the number of women is signicant
lower both at parliamentary and at governmental level from 1990.
Although the rate of representation of women in this period was determined by state
communist party and ideology the proportion of women was nearly 20%10 at the last par-
liament from 1985 to 1990 and there were only one woman minister11 in the last cabinet
immediately before regime change. Data show the politics is not was and not is opened
for women in large number.
I think there are two reasons in the background: Hungarian political culture and po-
litical tradition and gate-keeper role of parties in recruitment process of powerful posi-
tions in cabinets.
Attitudes of Hungarian society to women’s participation in public life are less sup-
portive than in Western Europe. This comes on one hand from traditionally agricultural
society roots of the country and other hand from child-and family-oriented values of
society (Pongrácz, 2005) which suggest the unspoken norm that tasks of women connect
rather in private than public life.
Hungarian parties cannot break through or do not want to break through this attitude
of society. Cabinet positions are patronage positions so parties have a strong impact on
recruitment process. Although based on status laws bureaucratic leaders at ministries
10 The number of women were 80 from 386 MPs at the last parliament (Jónás, 1990, p. 8).
11 There were all together 6 women ministers at 11 cabinets from 1945 to 1990 in Hungary. Some
of them served not only one cabinet. More than two ministers were not in each cabinet at the same time
in this period.

130 Éva VÁNYI PP 4 ’16
would have lled in their positions continuous between new governments since the re-
gime change people who lled in this positions were changed all government (Ványi,
2015).
As shown by data above women could reach rather second leader positions lager
number both political and bureaucratic level in cabinets. And this positions were less
powerful positions. Women represented woman-specic policy elds in cabinets like
social affairs, family-and child affairs, equal opportunity. It is the reason larger represen-
tation of women at deputy state secretary level. This position is one of the higher leader
positions at ministries that could reached through bureaucratic career path. Administra-
tive positions are women positions in modern society and to achieve higher positions in
bureaucratic level is a real career path for women at ministries. Most of women at deputy
state secretary level had long former ministerial career.
The proportion of women in government decision making was larger only in
Medgyessy cabinet. This cabinet served during Hungary’s accession process to Euro-
pean Union and this process had impact government composition.
Women’s representation in government decision making in Hungary shows a double
image. On one hand tting the international standards women are in woman-specied
positions and other hand underachieving in proportion of women in political decision
making.
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Udział kobiet w procesie podejmowaniu decyzji rządowych na Węgrzech
Streszczenie
Celem niniejszego artykułu było zbadanie udziału kobiet w podejmowaniu decyzji rządowych na
Węgrzech. Zarówno na poziomie ministerialnym, jak i na poziomie sekretarzy stanu. Albowiem to wła-
śnie sekretarze stanu na Węgrzech, na płaszczyźnie politycznej oraz biurokratycznej, odgrywają rów-
nież istotną rolę w procesie podejmowania decyzji. Co więcej zaobserwowano, że jedynym miejscem,
w procesie podejmowania decyzji politycznych na Węgrzech, gdzie może realnie pojawić się większa
liczba kobiet są stanowiska zastępców sekretarzy stanu. Wynika to z zaistnienia dwóch głównych po-
wodów: węgierskiej kultury politycznej i tradycji politycznej oraz funkcjonowania partii politycznych,
jako swego rodzaju gate-keeperów, w procesie rekrutacji na najważniejsze stanowiska w gabinecie
rządowym. Praca swym zasięgiem obejmuje lata 1990–2014, wskazując zmiany w zakresie udziału
kobiet w różnych rządach oraz w ich strukturze wewnętrznej. Wyniki oparte są na badaniach empi-
rycznych, które analizują kluczowe organy ministerialne oraz władzy wykonawczej. Analiza obejmuje
wszystkich przywódców politycznych i administracje rządów od 1990 do czerwca 2006 r., a także od
2010 do czerwca 2014 r.
Słowa kluczowe: kobiety, partycypacja, reprezentacja, proces podejmowania decyzji w rządzie, Węgry
Article submitted: 10.10.2016; accepted: 16.11.2016.