The system of ombudsmen in Hungary

Hungary has four parliamentary ombudsmen: the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations. Parliamentary ombudsmen are elected as independent watchdogs to oversee the application of human rights, rights relating to privacy and access to public information, the rights of ethnic minorities as well as the right to a healthy environment. While the rules concerning the election and status of parliamentary ombudsmen apply horizontally, the powers and competences of the four ombudsmen very greatly. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities mainly issue recommendations focusing on past breaches of law or the inappropriate conduct of public authorities, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations have broad powers to stop on-going illegal activities or to intervene in on-going administrative and court procedures.