Election 2018 – Ethnic Hungarian leaders: Vote beyond border mobilised

The number of ethnic Hungarians likely to vote in Hungary’s April 8 general election is growing, the leaders of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ) and the Hungarian People’s Party of Transylvania (PPMT) said in Szeged, in southern Hungary, on Thursday.

István Pásztor of VMSZ told a press conference that his party has mobilised Hungarian citizens living in Vojvodina in recent months and at least 60,000 are now registered to vote.

He encouraged Vojvodina Hungarians to cast their votes for the ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats, VMSZ’s “strategic partner”.

Vojvodina Hungarians are the greatest beneficiaries of the consolidation of Hungarian-Serbian relations, and Fidesz guarantees the continuation of that process, he said.

Political stability in Hungary is in the interest of all Hungarian citizens, he said. An opposition win could destabilise Hungarian politics, affecting Hungarians beyond the borders, he added.

Tibor Toró of PPMT said the number of ethnic Hungarians registered to vote from beyond the borders was expected to be twice as high as four years ago. This means their vote will have greater weight and could decide the outcome of up to three seats as opposed to a single one in the 2014 election, he said.

Toró scoffed at those politicians who argue against voting rights for ethnic Hungarians, noting that parliament makes policy decisions regarding communities beyond the borders that influence their everyday lives, he added.

Fidesz lawmaker László B Nagy noted that the deadline for registering to vote by mail will expire on March 24 and 372,000 voters have been registered so far out of the 451,000 applications submitted.

Source: MTI