BUDAPEST (AFX) - Hungary's Socialist-led coalition won an absolute majority in parliament in a general election, according to national election commission results with 96 pct of the votes counted.
The governing coalition won 209 seats in the 386-member parliament, the commission said.
Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany's Socialists have 189 seats and could yet win an absolute majority on their own. The minimum absolute majority is 194.
Their liberal Free Democrat partners have 20 seats so far.
The opposition conservative Fidesz party has 165 seats in parliament and the smaller right-wing MDF party 11 seats, according to the vote count.
Conservative leader Viktor Orban has congratulated Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany on the victory, Socialist party president Istvan Hiller said at his headquarters. newsdesk@afxnews.com afp/cml COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited