- Title: Low turnout risks making Hungarian vote on migrant quotas invalid
- Date: 2nd October 2016
- Summary: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (OCTOBER 2, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NATIONAL ELECTION CENTRE OFFICIALS COUNTING POSTAL VOTES NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HEAD OF NATIONAL ELECTION CENTRE, ILONA PALFFY, SAYING: "The latest participation report arrived at 17.30 and according to that 39.88% is the number of those who attended to vote." GRAPHIC ON SCREEN SHOWING PARTICIPATION NUMBERS
- Embargoed: 17th October 2016 19:53
- Keywords: Hungary migrants EU referendum quota
- Location: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- City: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- Country: Hungary
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00152BB77R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Initial counting suggested the low turnout at referendum in Hungary on Sunday (October 2) on whether to accept European Union quotas on migrants is likely to make the vote not valid.
Among those who did cast their vote, an overwhelming majority is expected to have voted against the EU policy on migrants, in line with what Prime Minister Viktor Orban had urged.
But by 1300 GMT, only 30.66 percent of voters had cast their ballots which analysts said indicated turnout will not top the 50 percent required for the poll to be valid.
While Orban and his rightwing Fidesz party are still likely to herald the vote as a victory at home, an invalid referendum could curb Orban's ability to exert pressure on Brussels to change its migration policies.
Orban, in power since 2010, is among the toughest opponents of immigration in the EU and over the past year has sealed Hungary's southern borders with a razor-wire fence and thousands of army and police border patrols.
Voting closed at 1700 GMT. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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