The results of the Social Referendum brought an overwhelming “Yes” victory, which is stated in the first sentence of Source Text 2. As a result, President László Sólyom turned to the ruling elite to initiate the necessary steps, which would follow from the victory (sentence 2). The rest of the article (sentences 4-18) deals with what the ruling elite’s reaction to the Referendum was as emblematised by PM Gyurcsány. First, it is mentioned that seemingly everybody wanted to fulfil the people’s wish at the first post-referendum parliamentary session but on the government’s part the endeavour was at least inconsistent if not dishonest (sentence 4). Then the article goes on to discuss PM Gyurcsány’s immediate reactions to the results on the night of the Referendum decrying “Yes” voters’ behaviour in the manner of a despotic ruler (sentence 6). After a moment of calm, his accusations re-start at the parliamentary session, and he openly goes against the decision of the majority of the voters referring to arguments that are undermined by the leader of the parliamentary group of Fidesz, Mr. Tibor Navracsics (sentences 7-12). Sentences 13-18 describe the unsuitability of PM Gyurcsány for the post of Prime Minister: there is reference to his being an illogical and corrupt dilettante, a second class actor full of pretence and having a character with a touch of madness.

Through the translation assignment, translators were given the power of reproducing or undermining the social dominance enacted in the source text. Though within reasonable limits and suited to the actual translation assignment and client, in the target texts translators have room for manipulating the social dominance expressed in Source Text 2. With reference to the power expressed in the target texts, the manipulations concerning President László Sólyom’s authority have been discussed in connection with implications and consequences in Section 8.4.2.1. Furthermore, sentence 6 of Source Text 2 and its translations have been analysed in connection with local and global contexts with regard to PM Gyurcsány’s attitude to voters.

Below, textual references to power will be discussed and compared in the target texts. The expression submit to the wish of people in sentence 4 of Target Text 3 implies reluctance on the part of the government to succumb to a democratic decision thereby indirectly questioning the competence of the public to decide for themselves, whereas the phrase fulfil the wish of people in sentence 4 in Target Text 4 reinforces the rational decision brought by a majority.

It must be noted that sentence 4 also differs in Translator 1 and 2’s attitude towards the power possessed by the government and the opposition: Translator 1 in Target Texts 3 and 4 uses the neutral and simple term want to take legislative steps as opposed to Translator 2’s phrase motivated to take legislative steps in Target Texts 7 and 8, which implies that there is a motive moving decision-makers. This, interpreted with reference to the government, suggests that in Target Texts 7 and 8 the government is not making the decision in appreciation of voters’ decision but they have their own political fish to fry. The comparison of sentences 1, 7 and 8 in Target Texts 3, 4, 7 and 8, which refers to the voters, reveals that there is no instance of negative judgement of voters included on the part of either Translator 1 or 2 in any of the target texts. This suggests that regardless of the political orientation of the translators, they both seem to support voters.

In spite of the translators’ differences in judging those in power, it can be stated that, irrespective of the translators’ own political bias but not completely unaffected by the expectations of the client, the resulting Target Texts 3, 4, 7 and 8 take sides with voters. This is not surprising taking the fact into consideration that the source text to be translated was composed to undermine and question the dominance of a ruling elite, which attitude can easily be taken up by the translators, who are not members of this elite.