Opposition parties hold differing views on possible early election

Budapest (MTI) – Representatives of Hungarian opposition parties have differing views on the likelihood or desirability of an early election but none rejected the idea outright, according to comments made at a conference on Thursday.

The small Dialogue for Hungary party (PM) was alone in wanting an early election, while the Socialists, Democratic Coalition (DK) and Hungarian Liberal Party saw dangers lurking in such an eventuality.

The radical nationalist Jobbik party and green party LMP were not present at the roundtable organised by the Republikon Institute.

Collaboration between the leftist parties could only lead to a positive outcome with certain conditions attached, they agreed.

Zsolt Molnar of the Socialists said there was hope for the leftist opposition when it came to the scheduled general election in 2018, since the opposition had performed solidly in by-elections held over the past two years.

Szabolcs Kerek-Barczy of DK said that while the camp of the ruling Fidesz party is shrinking and many Fidesz voters would boot out Prime Minister Viktor Orban in defence of liberal democracy, the so-called democratic opposition continues to stagnate in a crisis of distrust and lack of credibility.

Istvan Szent-Ivanyi of the Liberals said even in the case of the scheduled election, the left wing’s chances are hardly favourable. There would be some point to collaborating if the parties not only added their support bases together but multiplied them, he added.

Bence Tordai of PM said an early election would be to the sole disadvantage of Fidesz since the opposition finally would be able to advance its own positive vision. As an example, he cited the idea of a basic income as an inalienable right which, he insisted, had garnered the support of four-fifths of society.

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