Socialist turn down Gyurcsány and Liberals

Commenting on the breakdown of the negotiations among left-wing parties, commentators suggest that the absence of a broad left-wing coalition plays into the hands of Fidesz.

Following the agreement between the MSZP and Together-2014 (see BudaPost September 2), Ferenc Gyurcsány”s Democratic Coalition (DK) and former SZDSZ leader Gábor Fodor”s new Liberal Party proposed electoral cooperation with the left-wing opposition parties. Former PM Bajnai ruled out the possibility of an electoral alliance with either. The Socialists were not in principle against the cooperation (see BudaPost September 9), but after a brief round of talks, no agreement could be reached and the MSZP decided to close the negotiations.

, Mr Bajnai has created new enemies on the left, László Török comments in Magyar Nemzet. During the months-long negotiations about a possible left-wing alliance, Mesterházy strengthened his position as the leader of the MSZP, the pro-government columnist remarks. After Together 2014″s decision not to even consider a coalition with the DK and the Liberal Party, former PM Gyurcsány may decide to run with his own candidates in the 31 individual district where the two main left-wing parties will be represented by Together 2014 candidates. Gyurcsány’s intention to run on a separate national list, Török speculates, may weaken Together 2014″s chances of crossing the 10 per cent Parliamentary threshold. The Parliamentary threshold for individual parties is 5 per cent, but as Together 2014 and Dialogue for Hungary (PM) formed by former LMP politicians will run as a party alliance, their joint party list will need to get at least 10 per cent of the total vote – unless PM decides to join Together (See BudaPost, September 2).

In Mandiner, Dávid Lakner also contends that the lack of cooperation on the left is advantageous for Fidesz. The centrist blogger believes that Gyurcsány”s DK and the Liberal Party cannot realistically gain enough votes to enter Parliament. Moreover, it is also possible that Bajnai”s Together 2014 will fail to pass the Parliamentary threshold, Lakner speculates.

, Népszabadság writes in a front page editorial. The leading left-wing daily maintains that the MSZP turned down the request of the DK and the Liberals, on the assumption that neither of these small parties are popular enough to significantly increase the chances of a left-wing alliance. By cooperating with the highly unpopular former PM Gyurcsány, the Socialist could even lose possible supporters, Népszabadság adds. On the other hand, the lack of a wider left-wing coalition could possibly deter some undecided voters from supporting the MSZP, which was not willing to offer a couple of seats to other left-wing parties interested in defeating PM Orbán, Népszabadság concludes.

Tags: 2014, Bajnai, Democratic Coalition, Fidesz, Fodor, Gyurcsány, Left, Mesterházy, MSZP, Together 2014