Karácsony and Márki-Zay in tandem against Dobrev
October 5th, 2021As DK luminaries and Jobbik’s leader accuse the mayors of Budapest and Hódmezővásárhely of plotting to reverse the result of the first round of the opposition primary, a left-wing analyst points out that pacts are normal in a two-round election. A former pro-Jobbik commentator condemns Jobbik for allying itself with Ferenc Gyurcsány’s party.
On Friday, Gergely Karácsony, the runner-up in the first round of the primary to choose PM Orbán’s challenger (see BudaPost, October 2nd) and Péter Márki-Zay, who took third place with an unexpectedly strong popularity, agreed that one of them would withdraw in order to prevent DK candidate Klára Dobrev from representing the united opposition in the next elections. They justify the move on the grounds that, although she came first in the first round, she is a divisive figure, unable to unite the country behind her to defeat Fidesz, and too easy a target for Fidesz attacks, due to her family history and her marriage to former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány. DK leaders reacted in anger accusing both men of plotting behind the scenes. Jobbik leader Péter Jakab criticised the two mayors for plotting against a third candidate.
On Jelen, editor Zoltán Lakner reminds his readers that before the first round of the primaries, Jobbik and the Democratic Coalition agreed not to compete with each other in the individual constituencies and secured themselves the highest number of candidates to confront Fidesz in next year’s election. It is thus illogical for them to protest against a similar deal struck by the two mayors, he writes. Lakner finds nothing unfair in making alliances between the two rounds of an election.
On Azonnali, Gábor Balogh accuses the Jobbik leader of abandoning his last remaining principles by tying his party’s destiny to the Democratic Coalition. (Jobbik became a significant political force during protests against Ferenc Gyurcsány as Prime Minister in 2006.) Plotting with the DK in the individual constituencies, he explains, could be seen as an ice-cold tactical manoeuvre, but openly standing up to support Klára Dobrev as candidate for Prime Minister is a strategic choice “that deprives the opposition of its last chance of renewal”, he concludes.