Opposition left-wing candidate wins Veszprem by-election

Budapest, February 22 (MTI) – Zoltan Kesz, the independent candidate backed by the left-wing parties won Sunday’s by-election in Veszprem, in western Hungary, based on processing 92.39 percent of the votes.

Data available on the National Election Office’s website show Zoltan Kesz won 43.14 percent of the votes cast.

Lajos Nemedi, the candidate of the governing Fidesz-Christian-Democrat alliance, received 33.4 percent of the votes, Andrea Varga-Damm, backed by the radical nationalist Jobbik party, won 13.86 percent and Ferenc Gerstmar of the green LMP party 4.62 percent.

The by-election was held to decide who takes up the parliamentary mandate of Tibor Navracsics, of the ruling Fidesz party, who became an EU commissioner in October, 2014.

Kesz’s election victory also means that the Fidesz-KDNP alliance will no longer have a two-thirds majority in parliament even if the government parties retain their mandate at an upcoming by-election in Tapolca on April 12.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters