mszp
March 12, 2010, 10:05 CET
Former PM Gyurcsány has no desire for party role
Former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány said Thursday he does not want to be the Socialist party chairman or caucus leader, nor would he accept such posts. In an interview with state news agency MTI, Gyurcsány said Hungarian progress and the... [read complete entry]
March 11, 2010, 09:40 CET
Support for parties stable, Nézőpont Intézet poll shows
With hardly more than a month to go until the general elections, Hungary's main opposition Fidesz maintained its lead over the ruling Socialists last week, a recent poll by the Nezopont Institute showed. The poll conducted on a sample of... [read complete entry]
March 11, 2010, 09:39 CET
President Sólyom signs Holocaust denial bill
President Laszlo Solyom on Wednesday signed a recent law on penalising Holocaust denial, a senior official of the president's office, told MTI. Solyom signed the law since it does not contravene the Constitution, said Ferenc Kumin. At the same time,... [read complete entry]
March 10, 2010, 09:46 CET
Ruling Socialists cancel policy debates
The ruling Socialists have decided to cancel the policy debates planned between senior ministry officials and experts of the main opposition Fidesz party, the party spokeswoman told MTI on Wednesday. At the first of the three debates the Socialists initiated... [read complete entry]
March 10, 2010, 09:40 CET
Parties discuss how to capture liberal voters
Representatives of four Hungarian political parties met in Budapest on Tuesday to hold a debate on how to capture the vote potential left behind with the fragmentation of the liberal Free Democrats. Party leader Ildiko Lendvai for the governing Socialists,... [read complete entry]
March 10, 2010, 09:29 CET
Former PM Gyurcsány to speak on recent years
Former prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány will make a speech on Hungary's last few years and the tasks ahead at a Democratic Charta public function on March 19. Gyurcsány has until now only addressed closed party forums since resigning as premier... [read complete entry]
March 09, 2010, 02:17 CET
Jobbik derails Fidesz's "anti-campaign" election train
Jobbik has derailed Fidesz’s electoral strategy of coasting toward victory this April while barely lifting a finger. Although so far the salvos from Fidesz have come from the more peripheral figures, it is increasingly apparent that in this election campaign,... [read complete entry]
March 08, 2010, 10:32 CET
Fidesz rejects Socialist invitation to broadcast debate
Conservative party Fidesz on Sunday rejected a call by the Socialist party's prime-minister candidate to take part in a broadcast debate on their respective campaign programmes. Attila Mesterhazy had asked Viktor Orban, the Fidesz leader, and the party's top policymakers... [read complete entry]
March 08, 2010, 10:30 CET
Socialist party suspends membership of Budapest official suspected of graft
Hungary's governing Socialist party has suspended the party membership of Miklos Hagyo, a former representative in the Budapest municipal council who is suspected of taking kick-backs. The politician, who was until recently the second highest-ranking member of the municipal body,... [read complete entry]
March 05, 2010, 10:15 CET
Poll reveals Jobbik scores better among young people than Socialists
For the first time, radical nationalist party Jobbik is more popular among young Hungarians than the Socialist party is, the outcome of a poll by Forsense showed on Thursday. In the 18-24 age group, Jobbik is twice as popular as... [read complete entry]
March 05, 2010, 10:15 CET
Parties spent Ft 400 million on election campaigns so far
Hungary's parties campaigning for the two rounds of the April general election have so far spent a combined 400 million forints (EUR 1.4 m), anti-corruption NGOs said on Thursday. Representatives of Freedom House, Transparency International and the Karoly Eotvos Political... [read complete entry]
March 05, 2010, 10:14 CET
Ruling Socialists initiate debate with opposition next week
Ministers of the ruling Socialists invite experts of the main opposition Fidesz party for three policy debates next week, the Socialist prime minister candidate confirmed MTI's information on Thursday. The first debate on next Tuesday would be held on social... [read complete entry]
March 04, 2010, 02:32 CET
March 15th madness avoided as parties distance themselves from each other
With the three largest parties all planning rallies on March 15th at 3 in the afternoon in downtown Pest, Fidesz was the first party to relocate their rally across the river into Buda, although the MTI report left out Mouth... [read complete entry]
March 04, 2010, 09:56 CET
Opposition moves rally to other side of Danube
The main opposition Fidesz party and its election ally Christian Democrats decided to move their campaign-opening rally on the national holiday of March 15 to a new site, a senior Fidesz official told MTI on Wednesday. Fidesz originally planned to... [read complete entry]
March 04, 2010, 09:51 CET
Fidesz retains large lead in polls; willingness to vote increases
Fidesz has 52% support amongst potential voters while 19% back the Socialists and 14% Jobbik, a Nézöpont Institute poll found. Socialist support is below 5% in the 30-44 age band, while 19% of Hungary's over 60s favour the party. The... [read complete entry]
March 03, 2010, 01:10 CET
Bajnai declares that the extremists are already in the courtyard
“The extremists are in the courtyard and are knocking on the doors of the house of democracy,” Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the national security forces on Tuesday. He said Hungary is... [read complete entry]
March 03, 2010, 09:55 CET
Actually, it was the Free Democrats' unwavering support of the Socialists that killed them
Reading Gábor Horn's comments about how the Kóka-Fodor "duel" killed the liberals, all I could think about was how Horn had finally settled on a scapegoat for his party's demise, and how wrong he was. The Free Democrats' problems more... [read complete entry]
March 03, 2010, 09:33 CET
Parties to hold campaign rallies in Budapest on March 15 national holiday
All major parties in Hungary will hold a campaign rally on the afternoon of the national holiday of March 15 in the centre of Budapest, the organisers told MTI on Tuesday. March 15 marks the commemoration of Hungary's 1848 anti-Habsburg... [read complete entry]
March 02, 2010, 10:10 CET
Collection of electoral nomination forms at half-way stage
The period for gathering electoral nomination forms has now reached the half-way mark. The Socialist Party has collected the 750 forms necessary for nomination in all 176 individual constituencies, party spokeswoman Bernadett Budai told Inforádió on Monday. She said the... [read complete entry]
March 02, 2010, 10:06 CET
Analysts expect intensifying campaign
Political analysts expect the campaign for the April general elections to intensify in the coming weeks and differ from the previous ones. Presenting a volume on European campaign strategies on Monday evening, Agoston Samuel Mraz of Nezopont Institute and Attila... [read complete entry]
March 02, 2010, 10:04 CET
Socialists not to support Fidesz against Jobbik in 2nd round
The Socialist party's candidates will not step down in favour of main opposition Fidesz in the second round of elections, Socialist prime minister candidate Attila Mesterhazy said on Monday. Addressing a local residents' forum, Mesterhazy was responding to a question... [read complete entry]
March 01, 2010, 10:37 CET
Socialist PM candidate starts rally around Hungary
Prime minister candidate of the ruling Socialist Party Attila Mesterhazy started a tour of the country in Polgar (E) on Saturday. The candidate met supporters in the local community centre and said that the next elections would determine Hungary's dominant... [read complete entry]
March 01, 2010, 10:36 CET
Gov't, ministry, Socialists see no reason for defence minister's resignation
Neither the government, nor the Defence Ministry, or the ruling Socialist Party see a necessity for Defence Minister Imre Szekeres to resign over a suspected bribery case involving a business owned by, and operating under the control of, the ministry.... [read complete entry]
February 26, 2010, 09:50 CET
Socialists to boycott MTV talk show
Socialist leader Ildikó Lendvai has asked MTV to remove Magyar Hírlap deputy editor László Zöldi Szentesi from the morning programme "Ma Reggel," of which he is a co-host, the newspaper reports. Szentesi commented in Magyar Hírlap recently that anyone who... [read complete entry]
February 25, 2010, 10:30 CET
Fidesz still forecast to win two-thirds majority at elections
Viktor Orban's conservative Fidesz party could secure a two-thirds majority - needed to change the constitution -- if an election were held now, according to a Nezopont poll commissioned by political weekly Heti Valasz. In the third week of February,... [read complete entry]
February 25, 2010, 10:27 CET
New poll reveals Fidesz leading firmly, voter activity rising
The latest survey by pollster Median indicated increased voter activity, a firm lead by main opposition Fidesz and growing support for the radical nationalist Jobbik party, the online business portal HVG.hu reported on Wednesday. According to the survey, Hungary's next... [read complete entry]
February 24, 2010, 10:30 CET
So who does János Veres need to better explain himself to, the taxpayers or his wife?
The million forint question that's been going around Hungarian political circles since this past weekend is "what was János Veres doing in East Asia with a female colleague"? The question was first raised after a reader of tabloid Blikk... [read complete entry]
February 24, 2010, 09:04 CET
National Elections Office website defaced by far-right programmer
Early Tuesday morning, valasztas.hu, the website of the National Elections Office was attacked, with the names of the three major parties changed, index.hu reports. The "hacker" (according to the portal it was a case of a poorly written webpage and... [read complete entry]
February 23, 2010, 10:08 CET
PM urges Socialists, Fidesz to jointly combat extremism
Hungary's Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai on Monday urged cooperation against extremism between the ruling Socialists and main opposition Fidesz Addressing parliament's last pre-election session, Bajnai said Fidesz leader Viktor Orban and the Socialist PM-candidate Attila Mesterhazy had one thing in... [read complete entry]
February 23, 2010, 09:54 CET
Hungarian MPs criminalize Holocaust denial
The denial of the Holocaust will be punishable by law under a bill passed by Parliament on Monday afternoon. Those who publicly deny the Holocaust, call it into doubt or present it as insignificant may be sentenced to up to... [read complete entry]
February 22, 2010, 10:17 CET
Socialist PM candidate addresses uncertain voters, say analysts
Prime Minister candidate of the governing Socialist party Attila Mesterhazy addressed uncertain and disillusioned voters in a speech outlining the party's election programme, said analysts polled by MTI on Sunday. The speech addressed opponents within the party as well as... [read complete entry]
February 22, 2010, 10:14 CET
Socialist PM candidate opens campaign promising to renew nation
The Socialist party opened its election campaign on Saturday with its prime-minister candidate promising to modernise the nation and at the same time providing a political home for voters disillusioned by neo-liberalist economic dogma but who feel close to left-wing... [read complete entry]
February 22, 2010, 10:12 CET
Bishop invites Socialist spokesman to talk in pre-election row
A Catholic bishop on Friday invited the ruling Socialist Party's spokesman to a "cordial dialogue" to clarify what he had said at an election rally of the opposition Fidesz party last week. Earlier this week Istvan Nyako called on Laszlo... [read complete entry]
February 22, 2010, 10:03 CET
Campaign experts mull psyche of Hungarian voter
Hungarians are paternalistic, consumption-oriented and pessimistic, a brainstorming conference of researchers and campaign managers seeking a glance into the profile of the typical voter concluded, national daily Nepszabadsag reported on Friday. Addressing voter attitudes before the spring general elections, consultant... [read complete entry]
February 19, 2010, 10:15 CET
Main opposition retains significant lead in 1st month of election campaign
The main opposition Fidesz party has retained its significant lead over its political rivals in February, the first month of the campaign for the general elections in April, according to a poll Szazadveg released to MTI on Thursday. Support for... [read complete entry]
February 19, 2010, 09:10 CET
Horváth to be finalized as Socialist candidate for Budapest mayoral election
Pending a final vote on the manner, the Socialist Party has assembled its list for the municipal elections to be held this fall, Magyar Nemzet reports, with Csaba Horváth to be the party's Budapest mayoral candidate. Horváth has been vice-mayor... [read complete entry]
February 18, 2010, 10:08 CET
Poll shows decline of support for Fidesz, but party still retains strong lead
Support for opposition party Fidesz declined in February, two months ahead of the general election, but the conservative party still retained a big lead against the ruling Socialists, pollster Nezopont said on Wednesday. Among active voters, Fidesz's support fell to... [read complete entry]
February 18, 2010, 09:54 CET
More details of Socialist platform revealed
A revised tax regime, motorway development and Roma integration are among the ideas in a 60-page policy platform to be presented by prime ministerial candidate Attila Mesterházy at the Socialists opening campaign rally on Saturday. The document speaks of further... [read complete entry]
February 17, 2010, 10:29 CET
Socialist PM candidate Mesterházy to outline manifesto
Attila Mesterhazy, the Socialist party's prime-minister candidate, will talk through the main points of his political programme at the weekend. Sources close to the party told MTI that highlighted policies will include lengthening the moratorium on the purchase of farmland... [read complete entry]
February 17, 2010, 10:26 CET
Analysts sure of Fidesz victory at elections
Political analysts said on Tuesday that they were are certain the opposition Fidesz party would be power after the April elections but its ability to govern effectively would much depend on whether it manages to secure a two-thirds majority. Addressing... [read complete entry]
February 16, 2010, 09:32 CET
Socialists, Fidesz on IMF statements
Hungary's governing Socialists welcomed an IMF-EU delegation's remarks on Monday on the country's finances while main opposition Fidesz said it is clear the economic crisis had been deepened by the current government. Lajos Szabo, a Socialist member of parliament's budget... [read complete entry]
February 16, 2010, 09:23 CET
MSZP: All your pensioners are belong to us
How's this for a campaign ad (from subway handout Metropol) that is desperate, condescending and creepy all at the same time? For the Hungarian-challenged, it basically says that pensioners have no choice but to vote for the Socialists, because... [read complete entry]
February 15, 2010, 10:18 CET
Socialists propose affordable broadband for all Hungarians
The governing Socialist Party's Innovation and Informatics Committee has proposed that affordable broadband internet should made available to all Hungarian citizens, the chairman said at a press conference on Saturday. Ferenc Baja said that by the end of the next... [read complete entry]
February 12, 2010, 09:46 CET
Support for Fidesz slightly down, but party still leads polls
Fidesz support has fallen from 63% of decided voters in January to 58% this month, but the party still commands a huge lead over the Socialists, whose standing rose slightly from 21% to 22%, according to the latest survey by... [read complete entry]
February 11, 2010, 09:55 CET
Many undecided voters are Socialist supporters, Mesterházy says
Many of the 40% of the electorate who are still unsure about their party preference are Socialist voters, Socialist Party prime ministerial candidate Attila Mesterházy told a 150-strong local campaign forum in Szigetszentmiklós, Pest county on Wednesday evening. Mesterházy claimed... [read complete entry]
February 11, 2010, 09:51 CET
Prosecution proposes tough prison sentence for Zuschlag
The local prosecutor in Kecskemet, central Hungary, has asked that Janos Zuschlag, a former MP of the Socialist party who is charged with embezzling state funds, be sentenced for up to 20 years in prison, Nepszabadsag daily said on Wednesday.... [read complete entry]
February 09, 2010, 09:21 CET
Socialists initiate parliamentary debate over Hungary's situation
The ruling Socialist Party will initiate a parliamentary discussion on Hungary's real situation in February, a senior party official told reporters on Monday. "We should respond to the accusations that "Hungary has collapsed and everything has gone wrong over the... [read complete entry]
February 04, 2010, 10:03 CET
Mesterházy sends online message to Fidesz
Socialist Party prime ministerial candidate Attila Mesterházy has asked Fidesz chairman Viktor Orbán to be sincere when he delivers his "state of the nation" address on Friday. Mesterházy said in a message posted on the website YouTube that Orbán should... [read complete entry]
February 04, 2010, 10:00 CET
Orbán promises end to era of volatile governing
The current era of hectic, unpredictable and unreliable government decision-making is over, and one of partnership will arrive in Hungary, Fidesz chairman Viktor Orbán told MTI from Frankfurt after meeting leaders of the German Machine and Building Industry Federation on... [read complete entry]
February 03, 2010, 09:20 CET
Socialists say new US ambassador aims to promote investment in Hungary
The ruling Socialist Party trusts that new ambassador to Hungary of United States will further enhance business ties and promote American investment in the country, Attila Mesterhazy, the party's prime minister candidate said on Tuesday, after talks with Eleni Tsakopoulos... [read complete entry]
February 03, 2010, 09:13 CET
Parliamentary committee meets over 2006 data disclosure scandal
Hungary's parliamentary budget and finance committee met on Tuesday to discuss opposition charges over the government's handling of financial data in 2006, prior to the general elections. Ferenc Gyurcsany, the incumbent prime minister at the time, was invited to attend... [read complete entry]
February 01, 2010, 10:31 CET
Socialist PM candidate Mesterházy pledges certainty, calm
Socialist prime ministerial candidate Attila Mesterházy promised "certainty and calm" to a forum of nearly 1,000 pensioners at Budapest's Millenáris Park at the weekend. Opening the party campaign rally, Mesterházy said pensioners are not playthings, and need certainty, safety and... [read complete entry]
February 01, 2010, 10:00 CET
Fidesz removes MP from national list for comments on property tax
Fidesz is removing MP László Mádi from its national list as his stance on the property tax runs counter to its official position. Mádi, who was the party's housing policy expert, told a conference on Thursday that "following adequate planning... [read complete entry]
January 29, 2010, 10:16 CET
Socialists seek cooperation on pensioner ticket
Hungary's ruling Socialists, courting the pensioner vote ahead of the spring elections, are seeking alliance with a powerful pensioner pressure group Tisztelet Tarsasag (Respect Society), national daily Nepszabadsag reported on Friday. The organisation comprises 820 pensioner clubs and has 142,000... [read complete entry]
January 28, 2010, 10:01 CET
Gap narrows, main opposition Fidesz's lead remains
Although the gap of support between main opposition Fidesz and the ruling Socialists has narrowed in January compared to last November, Fidesz's lead over its main rival has remained significant, according to a poll by Tarki released to MTI on... [read complete entry]
January 28, 2010, 09:52 CET
Analysts consider campaign value of axed property tax
Political analysts polled on Wednesday told MTI that the constitutional court's decision to scrap a part of the new property tax hurt the ruling Socialist Party, but could also have some negative implications for the rival opposition Fidesz. The ruling... [read complete entry]
January 28, 2010, 09:49 CET
Fidesz seen to win two-thirds majority in next parliament
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz and its ally Christian Democrats could win two-thirds of the seats plus nine more in the next parliament, according to an optimal scenario developed in a poll by Nezopont Intezet sent to MTI on Wednesday. Nezopont... [read complete entry]
January 28, 2010, 09:09 CET
Analysts predict a majority of pensioners will vote for the Socialists
According to political scientist Zoltán Kiszelly, the majority of pensioners - who he added did not suffer injustices after 1945 - traditionally vote for the the left, napi.hu reports. Pensioners are also one of the largest and most reliable groups... [read complete entry]
January 27, 2010, 09:34 CET
Lagest opposition party Fidesz retains huge lead in polls
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz has maintained its huge lead, with 33 percent of all respondents of a recent poll backing the conservative party as against 16 percent for the governing Socialists. Pollster Szazadveg told MTI on Tuesday that Fidesz had... [read complete entry]
January 25, 2010, 09:40 CET
Opposition leader Orbán heads popularity list
None of Hungary's politicians are rated positively by voters in the latest Szonda Ipsos popularity survey published in Monday's Nepszabadsag daily but Viktor Orban, the leader of conservative Fidesz, is the least negatively rated. Most of Orban's 45 points out... [read complete entry]
January 25, 2010, 09:02 CET
Sólyom sets elections for April 11, 25
The two rounds of the parliamentary elections will be held on April 11 and 25, President László Sólyom announced on Friday, thereby kicking off the election campaign. Socialist chairwoman Ildikó Lendvai welcomed the announcement, saying it is good news for... [read complete entry]
January 22, 2010, 02:05 CET
Small parties call on big parties to recall Radio and Television Board members
According to kreativ.hu, the newly harmonious alliance between the Democratic Forum and Free Democrats has called for Fidesz and the Socialists to pull their delegates from the National Radio and Television Board (ORTT), following its controversial radio license decision. Democratic... [read complete entry]
January 21, 2010, 09:40 CET
Opposition Fidesz forecast to get two-thirds majority at elections
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz party will gain two-thirds majority in Parliament after the general elections this spring if voting inclination remains unchanged, weekly HVG reported quoting a Median poll in its issue to be published on Thursday but sent to... [read complete entry]
January 20, 2010, 09:13 CET
Fidesz to send letter to pensioners about promises, dangers
Fidesz announced on Tuesday it will mail letters to pensioners outlining its promises affecting them. The party has recently denied that it would adjust the current pension regime after its former finance minister Mihály Varga spoke in an interview with... [read complete entry]
January 19, 2010, 10:14 CET
Retkes says centrist alliance can hit 10% mark at elections
The alliance of the Free Democrats and the Democratic Forum forms a "democratic centre" which could win 10% of votes in the parliamentary elections, Free Democrat chairman Attila Retkes told Népszabadság on Monday. The party is also holding talks with... [read complete entry]
January 19, 2010, 09:24 CET
Liberal leader seeks centrist coalition
Hungary's liberal Free Democrats are seeking to cooperate with several centrist parties in the hope of heading off what current polls indicate will be a three-party parliament, with conservative Fidesz and radical Jobbik on the right facing the Socialist party... [read complete entry]
January 18, 2010, 11:05 CET
Government begins info campaign on achievements
The government will launch a two-week campaign today to inform the public of what it has done to improve their everyday life. Ads based on the slogan "More than Just Crisis Management" will appear in most national newspapers as well... [read complete entry]
January 18, 2010, 11:03 CET
Poll reveals only Jobbik gaining in popularity
Support for Hungary's two largest parties remains unchanged from December, as Fidesz is preferred by 63% of decided voters, and the Socialists by 21%, according to the latest Szonda-Ipsos poll. Jobbik's support grew from 10% last month to 12% in... [read complete entry]
January 18, 2010, 10:59 CET
Poll forecasting low voter turnout at upcoming general election
Hungarian voters appear to be apathetic ahead of the general election which is expected to take place in mid April, according to a Szonda Ipsos poll published by Nepszabadsag daily on Monday. Whereas last time round, in spring 2006, 54... [read complete entry]
January 15, 2010, 10:29 CET
Poll shows over 40% of voters support Fidesz
Over 40% of voters support Fidesz taking the reins of power after the elections, while 17% back the Socialists, a Forsense poll conducted from December 8-17 suggests. Regarding other parties, 12% favour Jobbik, 10% the Democratic Forum, 7% the Free... [read complete entry]
January 14, 2010, 10:26 CET
Socialist party seeks law to penalize Holocaust denial
The governing Socialist party is seeking four-party talks on drawing up a bill to penalise Holocaust denial, Attila Mesterhazy, the Socialist parliamentary group leader, told reporters on Wednesday. Mesterhazy, who is the Socialist party's prime-minister candidate in the next elections,... [read complete entry]
January 14, 2010, 10:13 CET
Gov't announces moratorium on big decisions for six-week pre-election period
The Socialist government will not make any major decisions - on personnel, state investments or subsidies - in the six-week period before the election, the government spokesman said on Wednesday. Domokos Szollar said that Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai had told... [read complete entry]
January 14, 2010, 09:58 CET
Liberals in election talks with small conservative party
Hungary's embattled liberal party is in talks with the small conservative Democratic Forum on possible cooperation in the upcoming general election, people close to the negotiations told MTI on Thursday. The liberal Free Democrats, which once formed a coalition with... [read complete entry]
January 11, 2010, 12:01 CET
Socialist campaign to focus on responsibility, party head says
The Socialists will run their campaign for the spring elections under the slogan of "response and responsibility", focusing on the party's programme, the party's head told MTI in an interview on Friday. As a "serving party" the Socialists want to... [read complete entry]
January 05, 2010, 12:28 CET
Socialists said to plan short but intensive campaign
The governing Socialist Party (MSZP) is planning a short but intensive campaign ahead of upcoming general elections, and their central campaign will start in the second half of February, according to daily Népszabadság. Local campaigns at individual election districts can... [read complete entry]
January 05, 2010, 10:28 CET
Socialists counting on wins in 50 individual constituencies
The Socialist Party is counting on winning over 50 individual MP seats in this year's elections, an internal party survey found. The Socialists stand the best chance of taking individual seats in the cities of Budapest, Miskolc and Szeged. Socialist... [read complete entry]
December 28, 2009, 10:12 CET
Fidesz to be caught in MSZP-Jobbik crossfire, official says
The opposition Fidesz, which appears in polls as the winner of next year's general elections, will be caught in the crossfire of the Socialists and the Jobbik party in Hungary's next Parliament, a senior official of the conservative party told... [read complete entry]
December 28, 2009, 09:57 CET
Socialist party spokesman gets death threat
Socialist Party spokesman István Nyakó received a bullet in the mail last Wednesday, hidden inside a toy monkey. Nyakó said this was not the first threat he had received, but it was the first time that someone had sent a... [read complete entry]
December 23, 2009, 09:45 CET
Median poll shows Fidesz's lead over Socialists narrowing
The main opposition Fidesz's lead over the rival ruling Socialists has narrowed to 40:16 percent by December, a poll by Median released on Tuesday showed. Support for Fidesz fell from 47 percent in July to 43 percent in November and... [read complete entry]
December 23, 2009, 09:42 CET
Socialist leader calls 2009 year of economic housecleaning
Hungarian Socialist Party leader Ildiko Lendvai has called 2009 a year of successful house-cleaning in the economy, and 2010 a year of responsible decision. The government has managed "to remove all skeletons from the cupboard", and compiled a transparent budget... [read complete entry]
December 22, 2009, 10:21 CET
Poll shows Fidesz support among decided voters near 65%
Public support for the main opposition Fidesz party was 31 percent among all voters in December, up 5 percent from the previous month, while the governing Socialists stayed at 9 percent, according to a Szazadveg-Forsense poll sent to MTI on... [read complete entry]
December 18, 2009, 10:05 CET
MSZP to plead with European Socialists over Slovak language law
Hungary's ruling Socialist party will ask the European Socialist Party's president to launch an investigation of Slovakia's latest steps in connection with its controversial state language law, the party's PM candidate Attila Mesterhazy told MTI on Thursday. Mesterhazy said that... [read complete entry]
December 17, 2009, 10:06 CET
Tarki poll shows Fidesz lead narrowing, bare majority willing to vote
The significant lead of the main opposition Fidesz party ahead of the ruling Socialists has somewhat narrowed while support for non-parliamentary parties has increased over the past month, according to a Tarki poll sent to MTI on Wednesday. Fidesz currently... [read complete entry]
December 17, 2009, 10:00 CET
Poll finds Socialist PM candidate getting backing of just 7% of electorate
The Socialist party's candidate for prime minister got the nod from 7 percent of the electorate in a survey by the Nezopont Institute, compared to 36 percent for opposition Fidesz's Viktor Orban, the conservative think-tank said on Wednesday, citing its... [read complete entry]
December 16, 2009, 10:34 CET
Mesterhházy to take over MSZP election campaign from Lendvai
Attila Mesterhazy, who was elected as the Socialist Party's prime-minister candidate at the weekend, will take over the running of the election committee from party leader Ildiko Lendvai, the Socialists' spokesman told MTI on Tuesday. Mesterhazy, 35, will organise an... [read complete entry]
December 15, 2009, 08:01 CET
Women remain window dressing in Hungary's largest political parties
Although 8 of the 22 MEPs sent to Strasbourg by Hungary were women, in local politics the ratio is far lower, origo.hu reports. In the case of the Socialist Party, a quota exists whereby 1 in every 5 nominees on... [read complete entry]
December 15, 2009, 07:44 CET
Roma candidate bumped up on electoral list to burnish Socialists' multicultural credentials
Since just about everything Hungary's Socialist Party has touched over the previous few years has gone pear-shaped, the Socialists tried to position themselves as "the" party opposed to racism. Traditionally one of the ways this has been achieved in other... [read complete entry]
December 14, 2009, 11:05 CET
Bajnai warns again populism in address to Socialist congress
Hungary will again undergo a period of pain if the next government fails to follow the current course set by the current crisis-management administration and instead resorts to "irresponsible populist" politics, Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai told the Socialist party congress... [read complete entry]
December 14, 2009, 10:58 CET
Mesterházy says Socialists need to embrace record in office
The governing Socialists must embrace the past eight years, including the mistakes made, but also recognising the achievements, Prime Minister candidate of the party, Attila Mesterhazy told daily Nepszabadsag in an interview published on Monday. Mesterhazy told daily Nepszava, published... [read complete entry]