szdsz
March 11, 2010, 09:41 CET
Jobbik surges ahead in March, Szonda Ipsos finds
Just over a month before the first round of Hungary's parliamentary elections, radical nationalist party Jobbik has shown a surge in support, pollster Szonda Ipsos said. In the decided camp, Jobbik scored 17 percent support - over three times the... [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 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 01, 2010, 10:34 CET
Fodor-Kóka duel killed liberals, Horn says in TV interview
The Free Democrats made a lot of mistakes over recent years, for which voters punished the party, senior party official Gábor Horn told ATV television station Sunday night. "There is no more Alliance of Free Democrats, only two or three... [read complete entry]
February 23, 2010, 10:10 CET
Forsense projects three-party parliament after elections
Hungarians' inclination to go to the polls at the parliamentary elections this spring is on the increase and three parties will certainly get into parliament, pollster Forsense told MTI on Monday. The number of voters who have a party preference... [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 16, 2010, 10:06 CET
MDF, SZDSZ struggling to get nominations from voters
The Democratic Forum and the Free Democrats are experiencing difficulty in collecting nominations from potential voters, Forum MP Miklós Csapody told Klubrádió on Monday. He said both he and Forum deputy chairman Károly Herényi have yet to collect the required... [read complete entry]
February 01, 2010, 10:03 CET
MDF approves program, cooperation with liberals
The national delegates of the small conservative Democratic Forum approved the party's election programme and cooperation with the liberal Free Democrats in Budapest, the chairman of the party's national board told a news conference on Saturday. The national board's decision... [read complete entry]
January 29, 2010, 10:26 CET
Opposition Fidesz aims at two-thirds majority
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz party is aiming at winning a two-thirds majority at the parliamentary elections in April, Laszlo Kover, head of the party's national board, told reporters in Szolnok (C) on Thursday. Kover said his party needed an absolute... [read complete entry]
January 29, 2010, 10:23 CET
MDF, SZDSZ plan election cooperation in Budapest
Two small opposition parties, the conservative Democratic Forum (MDF) and the liberal Free Democrats (SZDSZ), have sealed a pact to cooperate in Budapest's electoral districts in the spring parliamentary elections, an MDF official said on Thursday. Under the plan, SZDSZ... [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 25, 2010, 12:09 CET
Socialist youth organization leader slams MDF and SZDSZ over their "anti-panel" attitudes
Péter Oroszvári, the vice chairman of Societas-Új Mozgalom, which is more or less the Socialist Party's youth group and successor to the Fiatal Baloldal, has denounced what he said were Democratic Forum and Free Democratic plans to remove the top... [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, 09:11 CET
Democratic Forum hopeful of 8% election result
Democratic Forum campaign chief Zoltán Somogyi said Tuesday he would not be surprised if the party won more than 8% of the votes in the parliamentary elections. The party will formally launch its election campaign on February 1, with billboard... [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, 11:03 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 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, 10:00 CET
Liberals will not field candidates in general elections
The Free Democrats will not stand at the parliamentary elections this year after signing an agreement with the Democratic Forum, Forum deputy chairman Károly Herényi told a press briefing on Wednesday. He said several Free Democrat politicians will be put... [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 13, 2010, 09:31 CET
Democratic Forum may field Liberals, former US ambassador in 2010 elections
Former ambassador to Washington Andras Simonyi is planned to top the Budapest list of conservative opposition MDF party candidates in the 2010 general elections, daily Nepszava said on Tuesday, quoting unnamed sources. The paper also said that MDF and the... [read complete entry]
January 05, 2010, 10:36 CET
Liberal leader says party to remain in Parliament, despite breakup
The liberal Free Democrats (SZDSZ) seek to retain their seats in Hungary's next Parliament to be elected in the spring, party leader Attila Retkes told MTI in an interview published on Tuesday. He said that the liberals, now in opposition,... [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 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 14, 2009, 11:13 CET
Liberals approve new program at weekend party congress
Delegates at the Saturday congress of the liberal Free Democrats approved the party's programme for the period 2010-2014, the party's leader told a news conference. The programme was endorsed by an overwhelming majority, said Attila Retkes. Delegates also voted to... [read complete entry]
December 11, 2009, 09:27 CET
Opposition's lead narrows in latest poll
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz party still has a commanding lead over the rival ruling Socialists but the gap between the two frontrunners has narrowed slightly, a poll by Ipsos published in Thursday's Nepszabadsag said. In the whole voter sample, Fidesz's... [read complete entry]
December 01, 2009, 04:54 CET
Free Democrats divorce their own parliamentary faction
Following yesterday's passing of the 2010 budget with the help of the Free Democrats, Free Democrat Party Chairman Attila Retkes (pictured) held a press conference to announce he was dissolving his party's parliamentary faction, index.hu reports. According to Retkes, the... [read complete entry]
November 26, 2009, 10:05 CET
Fidesz retains wide lead ahead of ruling Socialists in fresh Tarki poll
The main opposition Fidesz party maintained its significant lead ahead of the ruling Socialists in the poll conducted by Tarki in November. The radical nationalist Jobbik would be the only other party to clear the 5 percent threshold to win... [read complete entry]
November 23, 2009, 06:14 CET
Bajnai asks liberals to support 2010 budget
Hungary's Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai attended a meeting of the liberal opposition Free Democrats' parliamentary group on Monday to discuss the party's support for the 2010 budget. The minority ruling Socialists need the liberal votes for passing next year's budget.... [read complete entry]
November 20, 2009, 10:48 CET
New left-wing party launched; seen drawing from SZDSZ
A new left-wing party called Free People for Hungary (Szema) made its first public appearance on Wednesday, national daily Nepszava said. Founded in October, Szema aims to offer a genuine choice to left-wing and liberal voters in parliamentary elections next... [read complete entry]
November 17, 2009, 01:23 CET
Free Democrat MPs rumored to appear on Socialist Party electoral list
A piece over at index.hu has raised the possibility that some Free Democrat MPs on good terms with the Socialists might run for parliament next year on the Socialist Party list. Among the names mentioned were János Kóka and Gábor... [read complete entry]
November 13, 2009, 08:51 CET
Szonda Ipsos poll sees Socialists, Jobbik making slight gains
Hungary's governing Socialists have slightly risen from their low point, though conservative opposition Fidesz maintains a massive lead, according to a November poll by Szonda Ipsos carried in Friday's Nepszabadsag daily. Support for the Socialists among all voters rose two... [read complete entry]
November 11, 2009, 09:45 CET
Retkes proposes Bokros as joint MSZP-SZDSZ-MDF candidate for PM
Former finance minister Lajos Bokros should run as the joint candidate for prime minister of the Socialists, the Free Democrats and the Democratic Forum at next year's parliamentary elections, Free Democrat chairman Attila Retkes suggested. In an interview published on... [read complete entry]
November 10, 2009, 07:28 CET
Hungarians see Socialists as most corrupt political party
A new poll by the Nézőpont Intézet has returned the unsurprising results that of those willing to state their belief that a political party is corrupt, the Socialists came in first with 23%, with the Free Democrats coming in second... [read complete entry]
November 05, 2009, 10:05 CET
SZDSZ head says party to vote against budget bill
The leader of Hungary's liberal Free Democrats insisted on Wednesday that his party would refuse to support the government's 2010 budget bill. In a vote on Tuesday, MPs approved the main figures of the bill which includes a budget deficit... [read complete entry]
October 30, 2009, 11:49 CET
Liberal caucus leader not to seek reelection as MP, slams party
Free Democrat Caucus Leader Péter Gusztos will not run in the 2010 general elections, reports daily Népszabadság. Gusztos explained his decision by saying that the SZDSZ had "denied itself" and only "mimed renewal" so he did "not wish to be... [read complete entry]
October 29, 2009, 09:57 CET
Tarki poll gives Fidesz fourfold leads over Socialists
The main opposition Fidesz party increased its support to be four times higher among the voting-age population ahead of the ruling Socialists in October, a poll released to MTI by the Tarki institute on Wednesday showed. Support for Fidesz this... [read complete entry]
October 27, 2009, 10:54 CET
MDF will not cooperate with Liberals in next election
The small conservative opposition Democratic Party is not planning to cooperate with the liberal Free Democrats at next year's general elections, party leader Ibolya David told daily Nepszabadsag on Tuesday. David said there was no party in Hungary today whose... [read complete entry]
October 22, 2009, 09:33 CET
Survey finds majority of Hungarians uninterested in voting
Hungarians are growing increasingly disillusioned with politics, with only 43% of respondents to a Medián poll showing willingness to turn out if elections were held this Sunday. The figure compares to 63% in 2001 and 50% in 2005. Confirming the... [read complete entry]
October 20, 2009, 10:01 CET
Multi-party talks over municipal standoff in Budapest fail
Representatives of five parties in the Budapest municipal council failed to come to an agreement on Monday on the future framework of cooperation after the Socialist-liberal coalition split last week. The Socialists quit the coalition with the liberal Free Democrats... [read complete entry]
October 15, 2009, 09:53 CET
Fidesz moves to force early municipal elections in Budapest
Fidesz submitted a bill to Parliament on Wednesday to have the Budapest city council dissolved to allow early local elections. The bill submitted by Debrecen mayor Lajos Kósa, party spokesman Péter Szíjjártó and Christian Democrat chairman Zsolt Semjén proposes that... [read complete entry]
October 14, 2009, 09:59 CET
Budapest Socialists sever coalition with Liberals over business deals
The Socialist Party decided on Tuesday to dissolve the coalition on Budapest city council with the Free Democrats and recall its deputy mayors, after the liberals voted against a Socialist proposal to publish online all contracts worth over Ft 5... [read complete entry]
September 24, 2009, 09:37 CET
Liberal head says ethnic Hungarians in regions should get citizenship
The small liberal Free Democrats support that members of the Hungarian minority in other countries should - on certain conditions - be granted Hungarian citizenship, chairman Attila Retkes told reporters on Wednesday. "All people who consider themselves Hungarian and want... [read complete entry]
September 22, 2009, 12:04 CET
Disgraced former Liberal boss dancing as fast as he can
Given how the Free Democrats currently stand a snowball’s chance in Hell of making it into the next parliamentary cycle, it would appear there’s at least one new career path available to former party chief and current parliamentary faction... [read complete entry]
September 14, 2009, 09:51 CET
New Szonda Ipsos survey shows Fidesz lead slipping
Fidesz's popularity among decided voters dropped from 65% in July to 60% in September, while that of the Socialists rose from 21% to 23%, according to a Szonda Ipsos survey. The poll suggests that Fidesz has lost 800,000 supporters since... [read complete entry]
September 11, 2009, 11:24 CET
PM in talks with SZDSZ head over 2010 budget
The 2010 budget bill was the focus of talks between Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai and liberal opposition Free Democrats leader Attila Retkes on Thursday. Retkes said that on the basis of the basic budget figures, he saw a good chance... [read complete entry]
September 07, 2009, 11:34 CET
Horváth and Hagyó reinstated as BKV dispute continues
The coalition dispute over the Budapest public transport company BKV ended on Saturday, when the Budapest chapters of the Socialist Party and the Free Democrats agreed to decline the resignation offers of deputy mayors Csaba Horváth and Miklós Hagyó. Horváth... [read complete entry]
September 03, 2009, 09:31 CET
Resignation of District major VIII linked to Corvin Promenade deal
Eighth District independent mayor Béla Csécsei’s resignation from the local council was accepted by its other members yesterday. He had held the post since February 1993. Csécsei, who quit the Free Democrats after Attila Retkes was elected party chairman in... [read complete entry]
September 02, 2009, 09:13 CET
Orbán pledges to take Hungary off "respirator of foreign loans and aid”
Fidesz spokesman Péter Szíjjártó quoted party chairman Viktor Orbán as having told President László Sólyom that the right wing can put Hungary back on its feet, after a change of government “instead of being kept on a respirator of foreign... [read complete entry]
August 27, 2009, 09:32 CET
Popularity of Socialist Party approaches single figures
Support for the Socialist Party among decided party voters has fallen to 10%, according to a poll by the conservative think-tank Nézõpont Intézet. The survey found 52% support for Fidesz and 6% for the far right Jobbik. Neither the Democratic... [read complete entry]
August 25, 2009, 09:30 CET
Free Democrat chairman faces the axe
Free Democrat chairman Attila Retkes could be ousted in the autumn, Népszava surmises today. According to one version, the Liberal Civic Society formed last Monday could 'outsource' the party membership, while according to the second, the internal opposition of the... [read complete entry]
August 24, 2009, 11:21 CET
Hungarian politicians less popular than ever
Hungary's politicians scored an average 29 points out of 100 in a recent Szonda Ipsos popularity poll, the daily Nepszabadsag said on Monday. Only President Laszlo Solyom and Viktor Orban, leader of the main opposition Fidesz party, were close to... [read complete entry]
August 19, 2009, 09:35 CET
Disgruntled SZDSZ leaders form new group, may challenge for Liberal votes
Several well-known members of the SZDSZ - including former Education Minister Bálint Magyar and former Party Chairman Gábor Kuncze - formed a new liberal group called Szabadelvű Polgári Egyesület (Liberal Civil Association; SZPE) on Monday, index.hu reports. Leaders of the... [read complete entry]
August 13, 2009, 09:34 CET
Szonda-Ipsos poll puts Fidesz support at 63%; MSZP below 20%
Fidesz has 63% support among decided party voters, the Socialists 18% and Jobbik 12%, a Szonda-Ipsos poll found. The Democratic Forum had 2%, and the Free Democrats and Politics Can Be Different 1% each. The Christian Democrats have negligible support,... [read complete entry]
August 12, 2009, 09:50 CET
Kóka continues to ignore calls from SZDSZ to quit caucus leadership
The Free Democrat leadership's resignation deadline for caucus leader János Kóka expired at midnight, party chairman Attila Retkes told Inforádió on Tuesday. Retkes said the liberal party's executive body will meet later in the week to discuss possible sanctions. "The... [read complete entry]
July 30, 2009, 02:10 CET
SZDSZ parliamentary leader says state hiring freeze just first step
The recently announced freeze on new hires in Hungary's state administration is only the first step to a smaller and more frugal state, liberal Free Democrats group leader Janos Koka said on Wednesday. The government spokesman announced on Tuesday that... [read complete entry]
July 27, 2009, 12:43 CET
Kóka to outdo former mentor Gyurcsány, completely destroy his party
It was only years ago that Free Democrat parliamentary faction leader (and former party chairman) János Kóka was the protégé of former prime minister and Socialist Party chairman Ferenc Gyurcsány. Then the two of them stopped getting along, and Kóka,... [read complete entry]
July 27, 2009, 10:25 CET
New SZDSZ leaders say party cannot support more economic crisis measures
The new leadership of Hungary's liberal Free Democrats continue to support the government's crisis management measures, but no further ones, party leader Attila Retkes said on Sunday, reacting to Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai's letter to political party group leaders asking... [read complete entry]
July 21, 2009, 10:20 CET
Kóka vows to stay on as SZDSZ caucus leader, slams new party chief
Free Democrat caucus leader János Kóka yesterday re-asserted that he will stay on as Free Democrat caucus leader for as long as he has "the confidence of a majority of caucus members and while the prospect of crisis management and... [read complete entry]
July 20, 2009, 11:54 CET
New SZDSZ chair presses for resignation of parliamentary leader
Free Democrat leader Attila Retkes repeated his call for caucus leader János Kóka to resign in an interview with Inforádió on Sunday. Retkes said the liberal party had erred by supporting former Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy after his past in... [read complete entry]
July 17, 2009, 10:17 CET
Bálint Magyar adds to chorus of SZDSZ figures seeing party's demise
Former education minister and leading Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) figure Bálint Magyar yesterday joined those party figures claiming that Hungary's longtime liberal party was facing imminent extinction. In an interview with left-leaning Népszabadság, Magyar said "this kind of SZDSZ... [read complete entry]
July 16, 2009, 10:04 CET
Former SZDSZ chairman says party's end is near
"The history of the Free Democrats will come to its end in the near future," former chairman Iván Pető told alternative weekly Magyar Narancs in an interview. "The way Gábor Fodor became chairman, using accusations of election fraud, his way... [read complete entry]
July 15, 2009, 09:49 CET
Actually, "cultural elitist" isn't a compliment
As the old political saying goes, the only polls that count are the ones on election day. Still, when the poll numbers are as cruel as the ones for the SZDSZ - they all show the party being decisively turfed... [read complete entry]
July 15, 2009, 08:19 CET
Szonda-Ipsos poll puts Fidesz over MSZP 65%-21%
Fidesz now has the support of 65% of decided party voters, down from 66% in June, while the Socialists have 21%, up from 19%, according to a Szonda-Ipsos poll. The radical right Jobbik is a clear third at 9%, down... [read complete entry]
July 14, 2009, 10:34 CET
Famous liberals desert SZDSZ as party's woes mount
A dozen well-known personalities of Hungary's small liberal opposition Free Democrats announced their decision to leave the party in a letter sent to MTI on Monday. The signatories, including founding members Gyorgy Konrad, Miklos Haraszti, Gabor Ivanyi and Laszlo Rajk,... [read complete entry]
July 13, 2009, 11:35 CET
New SZDSZ head calls on parliamentary leader to step down; Kóka refuses
Attila Retkes, newly elected head of Hungary's Free Democrats on Sunday called on parliamentary group leader Janos Koka to leave his post without delay. The majority of delegates at Sunday's meeting expressed support for his proposal. Koka said he would... [read complete entry]
July 13, 2009, 08:48 CET
Analysts say new chairman no solution to Liberals' problems
The election of a new chairman has not solved the problems of the Free Democrats, internal fighting will continue, analysts of two think-tanks agreed on Sunday, after the party elected new leaders. The new chairman, Attila Retkes, has been one... [read complete entry]
July 10, 2009, 10:31 CET
Poll puts Fidesz on 40%; MSZP and Jobbik only others above 5%
If general elections were held in Hungary this week, three parties would make it into parliament: main opposition Fidesz, the governing Socialists and radical nationalist Jobbik, pollster Progressive Institute told MTI on Friday. The poll prepared by interviewing 3,500 people... [read complete entry]
July 10, 2009, 10:29 CET
Outgoing SZDSZ head says more focus on environment needed
Liberal values must be reconsidered for the 21st century and environmental consciousness must be adopted as a basic requirement, outgoing chairman of Hungary's liberal Free Democrats Gabor Fodor told daily Magyar Nemzet on Friday. "Environmental consciousness must pervade every sector... [read complete entry]
July 08, 2009, 09:54 CET
Three candidates emerge as Liberals prepare for leadership election
Four candidates for liberal opposition Free Democrat leader have qualified to run in the party election this weekend, but only three of them accepted the nomination, MTI learnt on Tuesday from liberal sources who asked to remain anonymous. The three... [read complete entry]
July 07, 2009, 10:34 CET
Candidate for SZDSZ chair vows to stop supporting government
Chairman candidate of Hungary's liberal Free Democrats Attila Retkes told MTI on Monday that the party would stop supporting the Bajnai government if he were elected. The Free Democrats will act as a true opposition party, Retkes said, adding that... [read complete entry]
July 02, 2009, 10:28 CET
Bajnai demands new age of "consistent, determined and honest" politics
The next government will have to be consistent, determined, honest, and it actions must soberly proceed in one direction if Hungary is to rise out of its current mess, Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai told business weekly HVG in an interview... [read complete entry]
July 02, 2009, 10:11 CET
Gusztos withdraws from Liberal leadership race
Free Democrat deputy caucus leader Péter Gusztos announced in his blog on Wednesday that he will not run for the position of party chairman, nor any other party posts. He wrote that "the Free Democrats cannot face up to their... [read complete entry]
June 29, 2009, 11:34 CET
Liberals to back government on 2010 tax package in today's vote
The leader of the parliamentary group of the liberal Free Democrats said on Monday that the group had narrowly voted to support the government's tax package. The parliamentary vote on the bill being held later today will decide the fate... [read complete entry]
June 26, 2009, 10:09 CET
Poll suggests SZDSZ "obliterated" as support falls below 1%
The liberal Free Democrats are on their way out and the radical nationalist Jobbik is on its way into parliament, pollster Szazadveg said on Thursday. Further, the new green party LMP (Politics can be Different) is catching up with the... [read complete entry]
June 25, 2009, 10:06 CET
Socialists, Jobbik tied in new poll; first dip below 10% for MSZP
Support for the Socialists is 9% among decided voters, the same as for the far-right Jobbik, according to a Nézőpont Institute poll conducted for Heti Válasz. This is the first time that Socialist support has ever polled below 10%, the... [read complete entry]
June 25, 2009, 09:38 CET
SZDSZ to elect new leadership on July 12 following EP wipeout
Hungary's Free Democrats will postpone a national congress to elect a new chairman and 12 new executives by one week, people close to the party told MTI on Wednesday. The liberal party's national council has decided to postpone the congress... [read complete entry]
June 10, 2009, 09:34 CET
Noted expert says corruption to blame for rise of Jobbik
Corruption in voters' eyes undid the Socialist and Free Democrat parties in Sunday's EU elections, political scientist László Lengyel comments in a contribution to hvg.hu. There is no Socialist or liberal voter who could not cite an example of corruption,... [read complete entry]
June 09, 2009, 11:35 CET
Bokros may quit newly-won EP seat to drive MDF general election campaign
The new poster boy of Hungary's conservative opposition Democratic Forum (MDF) Lajos Bokros, who is credited with helping the party stay afloat in European elections, is expected to remain an MEP only for a few months, national daily Magyar Hirlap... [read complete entry]
June 09, 2009, 11:19 CET
MSZP plans "survival" strategy; aim for one-third of vote in general election
Stick by Gordon Bajnai and focus on getting at least a third of the vote in the next general election -- so says the ruling Socialist party's survival strategy outlined in Tuesday's Nepszabadsag daily. The beleaguered minority governing party says... [read complete entry]
June 08, 2009, 11:37 CET
Socialists vow to press forward after drubbing in EP election
After suffering a crushing defeat in the European Parliamentary elections on Sunday, in which the opposition conservatives and radical Jobbik won 18 seats out of the 22 available to Hungary, the minority governing Socialist party vowed to continue its crisis... [read complete entry]
June 08, 2009, 10:33 CET
Fidesz rejects call by Jobbik for street demonstrations to force elections
Hungary's problems should be sorted out in parliament rather than on the streets, the deputy chairwoman of main conservative party Fidesz told commercial television ATV on Monday. Ildiko Gall was responding to a statement by leader of the radical nationalist... [read complete entry]
June 08, 2009, 10:03 CET
Fodor to resign as SZDSZ head following EP electoral disaster
Free Democrat chairman Gábor Fodor will offer his resignation at a specially summoned meeting of the party executive today, as the election result is a disaster for the party, he announced Sunday night. "Voters have punished us, and this must... [read complete entry]
June 07, 2009, 10:38 CET
EP results in; Fidesz dominates as Jobbik nears 15% of popular vote
The main opposition Fidesz party has won the European parliamentary elections in Hungary by winning 14 seats, the National Election Committee (OVB) said on Sunday, after 99.9 percent of the votes counted. The ruling Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) won four... [read complete entry]
June 02, 2009, 12:32 CET
Marketing Centrum poll shows Liberals keeping EP seat
Hungary's main opposition Fidesz party could win 15 seats in the European Parliament at the upcoming elections, while the governing Socialists could have 5, and the radical nationalist Jobbik and small liberal Free Democrats one deputy each, according to a... [read complete entry]
June 02, 2009, 09:12 CET
Charges pressed against SZDSZ officials in election fraud case
The Budapest Prosecutor General on Friday pressed forgery charges against eight persons in connection with the 2007 Free Democrat leadership election. Spokeswoman Gabriella Skoda said charges had been brought against a chairwoman of one of the party's county chapters and... [read complete entry]
June 02, 2009, 08:31 CET
SZDSZ urges Bajnai to push bill on releasing communist-era files
Hungary's liberal opposition Free Democrats (SZDSZ) have asked Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai to state when the government intends to complete a legislation on making classified files on Hungary's communist past public, liberal MP Jozsef Gulyas told MTI on Saturday. Gulyas,... [read complete entry]
June 02, 2009, 08:07 CET
Latest poll suggests Fidesz could win 16 of 22 EP seats in Sunday vote
Support for Hungary's main opposition Fidesz and allied Christian Democratic Party (KDNP) at the upcoming European Parliamentary elections has grown further according to pollster Szazadveg-Forsense. According to the report released on Friday, Fidesz-KDNP could win as many as 16 seats,... [read complete entry]