Steven N.The recent primary elections have given a new life to Hungary’s political opposition, says political scientist Zoltán Gábor Szűcs. Speaking on the latest podcast of the New Equality Foundation, Szűcs stated that the opposition’s primaries not only got voters moving, but participation also far exceeded expectations. Moreover, the eventual winner of the elections, Péter Márki-Zay, didn’t even look likely to make it into the second round of voting a few weeks before the first round kicked off.
Szűcs believes that the primaries demonstrated to voters that they could directly effect public and political matters, stressing that a result could be a common identity and inter-party cooperation on the opposition side. In addition, he feels that one of the main tasks of Márki-Zay-led coalition is to appeal to the large number of uncertain voters.
While Márki-Zay’s primary victory may have surprised the Fidesz-KDNP’s communication machinery, the political scientist believes that the government will continue its anti-LMBTQ, anti-EU, and “Stop Gyurcsány” campaign, as it would be too difficult for it to change its strategy now, with only six months before parliamentary elections are expected to be held. [Népszava]
