In elections held in November 1945, the Smallholders Party won 57\% of the vote. The Hungarian Workers Party, now under the leadership of Mátyás Rákosi and Ernő Gerő, received support from only 17\% of the population. The Soviet commander in Hungary, Marshal Kliment Voroshilov, refused to allow the Smallholders to form a government. Instead Voroshilov established a coalition government with the communists holding all the key posts. Kovács became minister of agriculture (1945–46). Statue of Béla Kovács in Budapest The Hungarian Communist Party became the largest single party in the elections in 1947 and served in the coalition People's Independence Front government. The communists gradually gained control of the government and by 1948 the Smallholders Party ceased to exist as an independent organization.  Kovács was arrested and charged with plotting against the occupation forces. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in Siberia. Mátyás Rákosi also demanded complete obedience from fellow members of the Hungarian Workers Party. When László Rajk, the foreign secretary, criticised attempts by Joseph Stalin to impose Stalinist policies on Hungary he was arrested and in September 1949 he was executed. János Kádár and other dissidents were also purged from the party during this period. Rákosi now attempted to impose authoritarian rule on Hungary. An estimated 2,000 people were executed and over 100,000 were imprisoned. These policies were opposed by some members of the Hungarian Workers Party and around 200,000 were expelled by Rákosi from the organization. Kovács was released from prison in 1956. The Hungarian Uprising began on 23 October by a peaceful demonstration of students in Budapest. The students demanded an end to Soviet occupation and the implementation of "true socialism". The following day commissioned officers and soldiers joined the students on the streets of Budapest. Stalin's statue was brought down and the protesters chanted "Russians go home", "Away with Gerő" and "Long Live Nagy". On 25 October, whilst personnel of Soviet tanks and Hungarian demonstrators were fraternizing in front of the Parliament in Kossuth tér, a detachment of Hungarian secret policemen in position on the top of the buildings opposite to the Parliament opened fire on the crowd in Kossuth Square. One journalist at the scene saw 12 dead bodies and estimated that 170 had been wounded. Shocked by these events the Central Committee of the Communist Party forced Ernő Gerő to resign from office and replaced him with János Kádár.%DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% Imre Nagy now went on Radio Kossuth and promised "the far-reaching democratization of Hungarian public life, the realisation of a Hungarian road to socialism in accord with our own national characteristics, and the realisation of our lofty national aim: the radical improvement of the workers' living conditions." On 3 November, Nagy announced details of his coalition government (third Imre Nagy cabinet). It included Kovács, György Lukács, Anna Kéthly, Zoltán Tildy, Ferenc Farkas, Géza Losonczy, , , József Fischer, Pál Maléter, Zoltán Szántó and István Bibó. On 4 November 1956 Nikita Khrushchev sent the Red Army into Hungary and Nagy's government was overthrown.
In elections held in November 1945, the Smallholders Party won 57\% of the vote. The Hungarian Workers Party, now under the leadership of Mátyás Rákosi and Ernő Gerő, received support from only 17\% of the population. The Soviet commander in Hungary, Marshal Kliment Voroshilov, refused to allow the Smallholders to form a government. Instead Voroshilov established a coalition government with the communists holding all the key posts. Kovács became minister of agriculture (1945–46). Statue of Béla Kovács in Budapest The Hungarian Communist Party became the largest single party in the elections in 1947 and served in the coalition People's Independence Front government. The communists gradually gained control of the government and by 1948 the Smallholders Party ceased to exist as an independent organization. On February 25, 1947, Soviet authorities arrested Kovács on charges of organizing “underground anti-Soviet groups” and deported him to the Soviet Union, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.The Second Hungarian Republic (1946– 1949 ) Kovács was released from prison in 1956. The Hungarian Uprising began on 23 October by a peaceful demonstration of students in Budapest. %DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% On 3 November, Nagy announced details of his coalition government (third Imre Nagy cabinet). It included Kovács, György Lukács, Anna Kéthly, Zoltán Tildy, Ferenc Farkas, Géza Losonczy, , , József Fischer, Pál Maléter, Zoltán Szántó and István Bibó. On 4 November 1956 Nikita Khrushchev sent the Red Army into Hungary and Nagy's government was overthrown.
A
On February 25, 1947, Soviet authorities arrested
D
was arrested and charged with plotting against the occupation forces. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in Siberia.
R
Mátyás Rákosi also demanded complete obedience from fellow members of the Hungarian Workers Party. When László Rajk, the foreign secretary, criticised attempts by Joseph Stalin to impose Stalinist policies on Hungary he was arrested and in September
on charges of organizing “underground anti-Soviet groups” and deported him to the Soviet Union, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.The Second Hungarian Republic (1946–
R
he was executed. János Kádár and other dissidents were also purged from the party during this period.
)
D
Rákosi now attempted to impose authoritarian rule on Hungary. An estimated 2,000 people were executed and over 100,000 were imprisoned. These policies were opposed by some members of the Hungarian Workers Party and around 200,000 were expelled by Rákosi from the organization.
D
The students demanded an end to Soviet occupation and the implementation of "true socialism". The following day commissioned officers and soldiers joined the students on the streets of Budapest. Stalin's statue was brought down and the protesters chanted "Russians go home", "Away with Gerő" and "Long Live Nagy".
D
On 25 October, whilst personnel of Soviet tanks and Hungarian demonstrators were fraternizing in front of the Parliament in Kossuth tér, a detachment of Hungarian secret policemen in position on the top of the buildings opposite to the Parliament opened fire on the crowd in Kossuth Square. One journalist at the scene saw 12 dead bodies and estimated that 170 had been wounded. Shocked by these events the Central Committee of the Communist Party forced Ernő Gerő to resign from office and replaced him with János Kádár.
D
Imre Nagy now went on Radio Kossuth and promised "the far-reaching democratization of Hungarian public life, the realisation of a Hungarian road to socialism in accord with our own national characteristics, and the realisation of our lofty national aim: the radical improvement of the workers' living conditions."