Hungary's anti-reform referendum

Hungary votes on Sunday in an opposition-inspired referendum on whether fees should be charged for healthcare and education.

Provided 25% of the electorate votes for the same option, the referendum will be valid.  Since the Fidesz party, the largest opposition party, collected more than the 200,000 signatures required to set up the referendum -- which asks whether students should pay tuition fees, and patients fees for visiting a doctor or staying in hospital -- it will also be binding. 

According to Gallup, Fidesz is 28 points ahead of the ruling Socialists, the biggest lead since the agency began polling in 1999.  The electorate may want to give the unpopular government a good thumping.  The same survey found 69% disapproval of Ferenc Gyurcsany's performance as prime minister.  If just over 2 million Hungarians vote against the fees, the government will have to find the money elsewhere, upsetting public finance reforms. 

Gyurcsany has done little campaigning against the referendum.  He has endured low popularity since autumn 2006, when he was exposed for deceiving the electorate over the real state of the economy during the April 2006 elections.  He may therefore try to ignore defeat -- a greater danger may be a Socialist 'palace coup' against him.