BUDAPEST, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Hungary's parliament on Monday approved the government's key health insurance reform bill with 204 votes in favour according to the official result.

House Speaker Katalin Szili said there were 168 votes against the bill which will allow private business into the country's health insurance system.

One MP abstained.

Investors were watching the vote closely to guage the strength of support in the main ruling Socialist Party for the unpopular measure.

(For a related factbox on the reforms double click on [ID:nL17489234])

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Andras Gergely, editing by David Chance)

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