Budapest mayor Karácsony submits proposal to repeat election to top court

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony on Monday submitted a proposal to the Kuria, Hungary’s supreme court, initiating that the results of the Budapest local election be annulled and the election repeated in the entire city.

Karácsony, who won the June 9 election by 41 votes after a recount at the request of his closest rival, Dávid Vitézy, said on Facebook that he had submitted the proposal, adding that “a politician … requesting repeat elections after he has won is unusual”.

During the recount, nearly half of constituencies delivered the ballots irregularly, and many constituencies opened the ballot boxes without the members of the election committee present, Karácsony said.

“I’m not saying abuse has actually occurred; I’m saying legislative guarantees on excluding abuse have been breached.”

“Guarantees to exclude election fraud are one of the most important safeguards of democracy. I have a responsibility to stand up for the protection of these guarantees,” he said.

Meanwhile, reacting to Karácsony’s initiative, Vitézy said in a Facebook post that if the court did not approve it, then the incumbent could resign and open the way for a new election to be held “at any time”.

He also said every candidate had the right to appeal the outcome.

Read also:

If you would like to support the work of the Daily News Hungary staff and independent journalism,
please make a donation here

Hot news

2 Comments

Larry says:

18/06/2024 at 05:41

Can anyone find fault with anything Karacsony has done? No one from Fidesz would ever do anything as honourable as to request another election after he won the first time as Karacsony did. That is the whole point. Karacsony exposes Fidesz for who they are.
A Period of Intense Activity Commences : says:

18/06/2024 at 16:45

REMEMBERING – that less than 48 hours before we could cast our vote, that I, as a commentator 48 hours before this article, was posted, made FIRM mention, that in the withdrawing of the Fidesz candidate, they, threw ALLL there “weight” behind David Vitezy.
Remembering – in the lead up to the election, major policy in-differences being presented by Fidesz to those being presented by David Vitezy.
AMAZING – the last 48 hours the Fidesz “camp” – we SUPPORT – David Vitezy.
Heard the expression of to “Smell a Rat” ?
History never Lies, and what HISTORY the Orban – Fidesz Government have, that this EMBARRASSMENT, the outcome of these elections continue to be EMBROILED in controversy and gargantuan number of QUESTIONS – that need firstly to be asked, then secondly ANSWERED.
Manipulation – Tampering, possibility of “bogus” names being filled in presented into ballot boxes, and of course the “greased” of the palm, that is a KNOWN practice of the Fidesz Government.
Karacsony – the highest of RESPECT should be afforded him, for his STANCE, his morals – his ethics – his invitation, to have these elections AGAIN undertaken.
DEMOCRACY – using it, as is Karacsony, in rightful process – a FIGHT to “rid” us of Fidesz – there political methods they have HISTORY to use and apply against US, that continue to HAVE on us – an OPPRESSIVE effect, that is WRONG, and NEEDS replacing.
The GROWING weight of the Tisza Party – let it be another OPPORTUNITY to constructively JOIN In this BRAWL, that will grow, in SUPPORT for the present Mayor, and that the outcome has POSITIVE effects for – Budapest, Hungary firstly – then for them, in there MOUNTING growing challenge of the Orban led Fidesz Party and the “corrupt” Fidesz Government of Hungary.
Democracy – Freedom and Liberty – encased in DIALOGUE.