Steven N.
Hódmezővásárhely Mayor Péter Márki-Zay (pictured), the opposition coalition’s candidate for prime minister this year, characterized the situation regarding the election defeat as if the Hungary of 1989, when the change of regime seemed imminent, had instead regressed back to 1970.
Speaking on Klubrádió, the opposition politician stated that until now, he believed it was possible to win while playing on an football field elevated in favor of Viktor Orbán, under rules he had made, but it has turned out that this is not the case.
Asked whether he saw any flaws in himself, Péter Márki-Zay replied, “Of course.”
I can’t change my style, and I haven’t even tried to.
-said Péter Márki-Zay, adding that “he apologizes for this and everything else” that depended on him.
But he also felt that it was a mistake to believe that they could have won with a candidate from the left, claiming that left-wing voters stuck with them.
If they hadn’t, he said, then the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party would have gotten into Parliament instead of Our Homeland. Right-wing voters were hesitant to cast their vote for a list that included Ferenc Gyurcsány and DK, and quite prominently as well.
These mistakes are dangerous, believes Márki-Zay, because whoever thinks they can win the election with Klára Dobrev or Ferenc Gyurcsány four years from now will be in for a rude awakening. [Index]
Important summary of interview with Márki-Zay No doubt, he is correct that a more left candidate would certainly be unable to unseat this regime albeit I remain uncertain if any candidate can unseat this regime, especially given all the road blocks to free and fair elections. Good to hear Márki-Zay acknowledge mistakes, but greater specificity would have even been better. One thing for sure that is not helpful has been a certain tendency for opposition leaders to attack each other post election.
Yes there has been a huge amount of finger-pointing on the opposition side lately. I guess it’s to be expected given the magnitude of the loss and the disappointment they must feel, but I agree that it’s not helpful.