Hungary's parliament passes key 2010 tax law

BUDAPEST, June 29 (Reuters) - Hungary's minority Socialist government passed a crucial test on Monday when parliament approved key 2010 tax changes to help the country recover from its worst recession in almost two decades.

The new tax law, which will cut personal income taxes and social contributions paid by employers to the government, was passed with 211 votes, 152 votes against and one abstention.

The passing of the law averts the risk of early elections as Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai has said he would stay in his post as long as the Socialists and the Free Democrats support his programme, which is also the backbone of Hungary's financing deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Louise Ireland)