Sceptical opinions on the chances of the Left

A left-wing commentator calls on the opposition to boycott the 2022 Parliamentary election. An alt-left blogger thinks that in the absence of a clear vision and strong local presence, the opposition cannot defeat Fidesz. A pro-government columnist contends that the opposition’s ‘Frankenstein coalition’ would be corrupt.

In Népszava, László Haskó believes that the opposition parties stand no chance of defeating Fidesz under the current electoral law. The left-wing columnist also rules out the possibility that the governing party would ever discuss the creation of a new constitution or electoral law. Therefore, the opposition parties should boycott the 2022 Parliamentary election, Haskó recommends. He thinks that this would send a very strong message to the EU and the US, and would also frighten Fidesz. Haskó concludes by acknowledging that his proposal to boycott the election is unlikely to be followed by the opposition.

In Magyar Nemzet, László Néző thinks the performance of the opposition coalition which now leads the Budapest municipal council proves that the opposition parties offer important positions to their own cronies. This leads him to conclude that what he brands the opposition’s ‘Frankenstein coalition’ gets into power, they will offer lucrative jobs to friends rather than increasing transparency as they promised in the campaign.

In a Facebook comment, Mérce’s András Jámbor calls the record high popularity of Fidesz reported by the left-wing think-tank 21 Research Center a wake-up call for the Left. Contrary to what the opposition parties think, Hungarians living in poverty are quite satisfied with Fidesz – or at least, they do not see any alternatives to the governing party, Jámbor notes. He underscores that according to the report, poor Fidesz voters read opposition media, and know about government corruption. Jámbor thinks that the opposition is unlikely to challenge Fidesz while it lacks a simple but convincing narrative and strong presence in municipalities. If the opposition has no vision of its own, and wastes time constantly criticizing the government and PM Orbán, it cannot defeat Fidesz, Jámbor suggests.

Tags: 2022, election, Left, opposition