Hungarian opposition parties marking the August 20 national holiday

Hungary should apply a Scandinavian model based on personal freedoms in the development of its society, the head of conservative Jobbik said at a celebration of August 20, on Monday. Hungary’s future “must be laid on new foundations”, the opposition LMP party said in a statement. 

Jobbik: Hungary should follow Scandinavian model

Tamás Sneider said that his party’s mission was to “show a golden middle way between individualism and collectivism” and advocated the Scandinavian model in terms of social security, pensions and education.

Sneider said that

Hungary’s “Orbán regime” has “reached its zenith” and voiced hope that Hungarians could “again attain their freedoms against (ruling) Fidesz.

He added that nearly half of the opposition’s voters had supported Jobbik at the April general election, and insisted that no party other than Jobbik could “lend Hungarian society faith and strength” in a fight against the current government.

Speaking about another subject, Sneider did not exclude the possibility of cooperation “at some level” with the opposition LMP party, but noted that the two parties had conflicting views on some issues such as the integration of the Roma minority.

August 20 – LMP calls for ‘new foundations for future’

“Hungarian families and local communities must be assisted with real solutions,” the statement said and suggested that 20 percent of the country’s tax revenues should be spent on education. Authors of the statement also suggested that the Hungarian government should drop its “campaign against Europe” and work towards “strong nation states building a strong Europe, which can face the challenges of the 21st century”.

Hungary will be a successful country if families and local communities have “an opportunity to determine their future and have a say in decisions affecting their lives”, the statement said.