A call to end opposition infighting

A veteran socialist politician urges opposition parties to regroup in time for next year’s local and European elections.

In Népszava, former Socialist Minister of Justice Pál Vastagh warns that bad local and European election results would be another major setback for the opposition and would not augur well for the general election of 2026. He cautions opposition parties against concentrating on competing with one another and warns them instead to try to define their message and alliance before it is too late. Vastagh remarks that despite a 10 percent drop in the popularity of the European Union over the past few years, the overwhelming majority (about 70 percent) of Hungarians still believe membership in the EU has been beneficial for Hungary, which opens good chances for the opposition to successfully present a pro-EU stance in the electoral campaign next year. He wouldn’t oppose an overall electoral opposition alliance but suggests that more voters of the diverse opposition landscape could be mobilized if the opposition parties (left-wingers, liberals, and greens) formed separate groups according to their political affiliations.

Tags: elections, opposition