Opposition politicians trust in victory amid high turnout

Opposition politicians competing in Sunday’s local elections praised the high turnout and said they trusted that this would translate into a victory for Gergely Karácsony, their joint candidate for Budapest mayor.

The opposition Párbeszéd party’s spokesman, Richárd Barabás, welcomed the high turnout in a statement, saying that opposition cooperation and their innovative campaign technologies would bring about their desired outcome.

He also said that scandals linked to the ruling Fidesz party last week had undermined “the political and moral legitimacy of the government”.

Barabás said the country and local communities would benefit if the opposition had a breakthrough in several localities, demonstrating that there was an alternative to Fidesz’s “corrupt and immoral system”.

Ágnes Kunhalmi, the head of the Socialist Party board, also welcomed the high turnout in a statement, adding, however, that it was hard to predict who would benefit.

She noted that the high turnout in last year’s general election had favoured the opposition in Budapest and Fidesz outside it.

She said the Socialists had developed considerably in the recent past and the opposition in general had done much to mobilise their voters, adding that she trusted the high participation rate would favour the opposition.

Zsolt Greczy, the Democratic Coalition spokesman, also welcomed the high turnout, adding that DK was “cautiously optimistic” that the local elections would mark a turning point in favour of the opposition.

Source: MTI