Hungary parliament votes in Socialist-led govt

BUDAPEST, June 9 (Reuters) Hungary's parliament voted in favour of the Socialist-led coalition government's four-year programme today, by 206 votes to 159, clearing the way for it to start tackling the country's huge budget deficit.

The Socialist and the Alliance of Free Democrat coalition won 210 seats in the 386-member parliament in April's election, becoming the first government to win two consecutive terms since the end of communism in 1989.

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said yesterday that the deficit, which was proportionately the biggest in the European Union in 2005 at 6.1 per cent of gross domestic product, would surge to 8 per cent of GDP this year.

REUTERS SHR KN1545