HUNGARY'S 8 MILLION VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS ON SUNDAY TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A SOCIALIST-LED GOVERNMENT WHICH SAYS THE COUNTRY MUST EMBRACE GLOBALIZATION AND AN OPPOSITION THAT WANTS A 'PATRIOTIC' ECONOMIC POLICY. THIS IS THE FIFTH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION SINCE COMMUNISM ENDED IN 1989 AND THE FIRST SINCE THE COUNTRY OF 10 MILLION PEOPLE JOINED THE EUROPEAN UNION, REUTERS REPORTED. BY 0700 GMT, THREE HOURS AFTER POLLING STATIONS HAD OPENED, MORE THAN 11 PERCENT OF BALLOTS HAD BEEN CAST, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION, COMPARED WITH 8.8 PERCENT AT THE SAME STAGE IN THE LAST ELECTIONS IN 2002, WHEN OVERALL TURNOUT WAS 70.5 PERCENT FOR THE DAY.
