Budapest's city council on Wednesday "rejected a proposal for a referendum on its bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games, leaving the way clear for its candidacy to go ahead," according to Marton Dunai of REUTERS. Budapest is one of four candidate cities, along with L.A., Rome and Paris, "still bidding to host the Olympics." Hamburg "withdrew its bid last week following a negative referendum result which shocked German Olympic officials." The Budapest referendum "was proposed by an opposition Socialist council member, Csaba Horvath, but was rejected by 16 votes to 14, with two abstentions." Budapest Mayor Istvan Tarlos told the city council in a speech before the vote that "he doubted that a referendum was the right way to decide on the bid." He said, "I absolutely respect referenda, and we will vote on the proposal. It is an open question, however, whether two years before the hosts are chosen voters have enough information about hosting the Olympic Games" (REUTERS, 12/2). The AP reported leaders of Rome's bid "are sticking to their plan of avoiding a referendum." Bid Ambassador Fiona May said, "The citizens in Rome are very particular. Italians are very passionate. I don't think you need to do a referendum. You feel it." Hamburg's bid was scrapped after 51.6% of residents "voted against the project in Sunday's referendum." Rome Bid Chair Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said, "The only thing that surprised me was that they made Hamburg the candidate and not Berlin" (AP, 12/1).
