Election 2018: Democratic Coalition party open to strategic withdrawals in individual constituencies

In the wake of pleas by other left-liberal opposition parties to form broad scale cooperation ahead of the 2018 general election, the Democratic Coalition spokesman reaffirmed the party’s stance that its leader, Ferenc Gyurcsány, would top a stand-alone national list but that they would be open to strategic withdrawal deals in individual constituencies to maximise the opposition side’s chances of winning.

In an interview to public radio on Friday, Zsolt Greczy said the left-liberal opposition had a chance of winning next spring, but the parties would have to come to agreements on the 106 individual constituencies “very quickly”. He added that if agreements were forthcoming when it came to constituencies, then the opposition would be in a position to win in 60-70 percent of them.

On Thursday, Gergely Karácsony, the Párbeszed leader who has agreed to front the Socialist Party’s campaign as PM candidate, called on DK to make clear why it was refusing to run joint lists with the other left-lib parties.

Meanwhile, the Együtt party has called for “open and all-embracing” opposition cooperation, pledging to withdraw its candidates in certain constituencies if other parties reciprocate elsewhere.

In a statement, the party urged talks with DK, the Socialists, LMP, and Momentum.

Együtt, according to the statement, has chosen its nominees for 15 districts and has identified constituencies in which it would support the candidates of other parties. They suggested the Socialist Party should field candidates in 26 constituencies, while DK should do so in 24 other districts.

Együtt argued that if in each district there was only one candidate running against ruling Fidesz and Jobbik, there would be a chance for “regime change”.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI