DEFEAT AND SUCCESS AS PROMOTERS OF PARTY CHANGE - THE HUNGARIAN SOCIALIST-PARTY AFTER 2 ABRUPT CHANGES

This paper argues that the East Central European parties have already reached an early stage of maturation as a partial consolidation of a p arty system. In this respect the case of the Hungarian Socialist Party (HSP) is characteristic, since this party has gone through two drasti c changes, first after an electoral defeat in 1990 and second after a landslide victory in 1994. The change by defeat was easier than the ch ange by success, but against all the difficulties of economic crisis m anagement the HSP has consolidated its social position and institution s, yet still remains weak as a programme party.