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The Patriotic People's Front ( hu, Hazafias Népfront, HNF) was originally a Hungarian political
resistance movement A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objective ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
which become later an alliance of political parties in the
Hungarian People's Republic The Hungarian People's Republic ( hu, Magyar Népköztársaság) was a one-party socialist state from 20 August 1949 to 23 October 1989. It was governed by the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, which was under the influence of the Soviet Uni ...
. In the latter role, it was dominated by the Communist Party–known as the Hungarian Working People's Party (MDP) from 1948 to 1956 and the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSzMP) from 1956 onward.


History

The Hungarian Front (''Magyar Front'') was founded by the Hungarian Communist Party (then briefly known as the Peace Party) as a
resistance movement A resistance movement is an organized effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to withstand the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability. It may seek to achieve its objective ...
against the occupation of Hungary by Nazi German forces during World War II and included the
Social Democratic Party The name Social Democratic Party or Social Democrats has been used by many political parties in various countries around the world. Such parties are most commonly aligned to social democracy as their political ideology. Active parties For ...
(MSZDP), the Independent Smallholders' Party (FKgP) and the National Peasant Party (NPP). The Hungarian Front was replaced by the Hungarian National Independence Front (''Magyar Nemzeti Függetlenségi Front'', MNFF) on 2 December 1944 which also included the Civic Democratic Party (PDP). On 1 February 1949, the MNFF become the Hungarian Independence People's Front (MFN), a popular front like in other Communist countries. By this time, the Front was dominated by the MDP (as the Communist Party had been renamed following a merger with the Social Democrats). The non-Communist parties in the Front had been taken over by
fellow travellers The term ''fellow traveller'' (also ''fellow traveler'') identifies a person who is intellectually sympathetic to the ideology of a political organization, and who co-operates in the organization's politics, without being a formal member of that o ...
who turned their parties into loyal partners of the MDP. As such, the MFN took on the same character as similar groupings in the emerging Soviet bloc. The non-Communist members became subservient to the MDP, and had to accept the MDP's "
leading role A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typic ...
" as a condition of their continued existence. Under these circumstances, voters were presented with a single list from the MFN at the 1949 elections. The Communist-dominated legislature chosen at this election enacted a new, Soviet-style Constitution, which formally marked the onset of out-and-out Communist rule in Hungary. Elections were held under similar conditions in
1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...
. Under
Imre Nagy Imre Nagy (; 7 June 1896 – 16 June 1958) was a Hungarian communist politician who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (''de facto'' Prime Minister) of the Hungarian People's Republic from 1953 to 1955. In 1956 Nagy became leader ...
(22–24 October 1954), the MFN was reorganised as the Patriotic People's Front (HNF). During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the MSzMP replaced the MDP as the dominant force in the HNF. Under the somewhat more moderate goulash Communism of János Kádár, the HNF still had near-complete control over the electoral system. As such, at all elections from
1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...
to
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
, voters were presented with a single list of HNF candidates. The Constitution charged the HNF with leading the nation in "complete building up of socialism, for the solution of political, economic, and cultural tasks." While more than one candidate could stand in at least some constituencies after 1966, all prospective candidates had to accept the HNF program to be eligible. The MSzMP used the HNF to actively mobilize against candidates it deemed unacceptable. This made it extremely difficult for independent candidates to get on the ballot.Burant, p. 181-185 Through the HNF, the MSzMP was able to effectively predetermine the composition of the legislature. In about 1990, the HNF became the
Patriotic Electoral Coalition The Patriotic Electoral Coalition ( hu, Hazafias Választási Koalíció; HVK) was a short-lived electoral coalition in Hungary, formed in December 1989 by the Patriotic People's Front (HNF) and twelve other minor left-wing politics, left-wing par ...
.


Electoral history


National Assembly elections


References

{{Authority control 1944 establishments in Hungary 1990 disestablishments in Hungary Anti-fascist organizations Defunct political party alliances in Hungary Hungarian People's Republic Hungarian resistance movement of World War II Hungary–Soviet Union relations Political parties disestablished in 1990 Political parties established in 1944 Popular fronts of communist states