Socialist leader says party still ‘alive’

The Socialist Party is still alive and will continue its political strategy for implementing a left-wing programme, party leader Gyula Molnár said on Saturday, five days after the resignation of László Botka as the party’s prime minister-candidate.

“All should return to their nests. Vultures have no reason for circling above us,” he told a press conference in Budapest.

Molnár announced that the Socialists would not name another PM candidate from their own ranks but advocate choosing a non-partisan candidate who is backed by the broadest possible forces.

At present, the Socialists do not support the PM candidate of any other party, he added.

“We are prepared to cooperate with all democratic political forces but [ex-premier] Gyula Horn’s party will not negotiate with the extreme-right parties,” he said.

Molnár rejected all attempts to portray the Socialists or any other democratic opposition party as part of the “National System of Cooperation” championed by the ruling Fidesz party.

He announced that the Socialists would publish their electoral manifesto on November 18 and hold a “campaign opening” congress in December.

In response to a question, Molnár said the Socialists are negotiating on cooperation with the Együtt and the Dialogue parties, the Democratic Coalition and the Liberal Party,

and have acknowledged that the LMP and Momentum parties squarely rejected their initiative.

Molnár said he saw a chance for the democratic opposition parties to field a common candidate in all the 106 constituencies of the country for the 2018 general election.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI