Smallest but most successful Hungarian opposition party elects new co-leader

Richárd Barabás has been elected co-leader of Párbeszéd-Greens, the opposition party’s leaders said at a press conference on Sunday.

Párbeszéd is one of the most successful Hungarian parties. Despite having almost no measurable popular support, they managed to form a parliamentary group after the 2018 general elections, and even after 2022. Furthermore, they give the lord mayor of Budapest. Gergely Karácsony was the co-leader of the Párbeszéd for years. He was followed by Bence Tordai, who resigned unexpectedly on 1 February because he returned to lead their parliamentary group.

Barabás, the party’s spokesman and the deputy mayor of the capital’s District XI, pointed to the need to build a “just, open and green Hungary, characterised by solidarity”. He added that he aimed to base the party’s politics on “people, communities, democracy and green principles”.

Barabás has been elected co-leader to replace Bence Tordai who became the leader of Parbeszed’s parliamentary group.

Tímea Szabó, the party’s other co-leader, said Hungary needed a “credible” green party more than ever. She added that Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s state of the nation address on Saturday was “more proof” that he “didn’t understand climate change and a fair green transition”.

Barabás and Szabó are included in Parbeszed’s EP list.

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We begin a new era, Richárd Barabás promised in a Facebook post: