Hungary votes on government’s rejection of EU refugee quotas

A man rides a bicycle by a poster that reads in Hungarian “Let’s not risk it! Let’s vote no! October 2”, supporting Hungarian Premier Minister’s Viktor Orban policies on migrants in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016. Hungarians will vote Sunday in a referendum which Prime Minister Viktor Orban hopes will give his government the popular support it seeks to oppose any future plans by the European Union to resettle asylum seekers among its member states. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarians are voting in a referendum called by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government seeking support for its opposition to any future, mandatory European Union quotas to relocate asylum seekers.

Nearly 8.3 million citizens can cast ballots Sunday between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. (0400-1700 GMT). “No” votes supporting the government position are expected to be in the great majority, though there is uncertainty whether turnout will exceed the 50 percent plus-one-vote threshold needed to be valid.

The referendum’s question is “Do you want the European Union to be able to prescribe the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary even without the consent of Parliament?”

Polls show that the relentless campaign urging citizens to “send a message to Brussels” while associating migrants with terrorism has increased xenophobia in Hungary.