New anti-Orbán coalition in Hungary

Submitted by AWL on 2 November, 2021 - 10:50 Author: John Cunningham
Orbán

The possibility of ousting Central Europe’s “Little Caesar” Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party is obviously to be welcomed. However, the announcement of a six-party coalition to contest Hungary’s elections coming in April or May 2022 does not inspire much confidence.

The candidate for prime minister chosen by a coalition primary in September-October, Péter Márki-Zay, describes himself as “independent”, a “conservative Catholic”, and was once a manager of a multinational company. His only previous political experience appears to have been winning the mayoralty of Hódmezővásárhely, a sleepy one-horse town in South-East Hungary. Although polls suggest that the coalition is popular, the same polls show that 23% of potential voters are, so far, undecided. Alongside the usual suspects, liberals, greens and (so-called) socialists the coalition includes the far-right Jobbik party, who in the past have been happy to do the dirty work that Orbán publicly disavows. For the moment, at least, Jobbik have parted ways with Orbán and are working hard trying to look respectable.

What appears to unite the coalition is little more than a gut-hatred of Orbán. This is perfectly understandable, but not the stuff of a successful united political movement. A lot can happen between now and the election.

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