Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Budapest mayor pulls out of opposition primary race

Budapest mayor pulls out of opposition primary race

The mayor of Hungary’s capital on Friday announced he would withdraw from a primary contest which will choose a joint opposition nominee to challenge right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, ending his candidacy in a race in which he was once considered the frontrunner.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony said at a news conference that he was bringing his candidacy for prime minister to an end, and asked his supporters to get behind his opponent, moderate conservative Peter Marki-Zay, in the interests of “reuniting Hungary.”

Karacsony’s withdrawal came after a week of back-and-forth negotiations with Marki-Zay, the independent mayor of a small Hungarian city, over which of the two men had the best chance of winning the second round of the primary set to begin Sunday — and then defeating Orban in a national election next spring.

Though the liberal Karacsony had several disagreements with Marki-Zay on policy, he said, “I came to the conclusion that if I do not (step aside), then Viktor Orban will remain, and the significance of the political debates between us will go up in smoke.”

“I believe that Peter Marki-Zay can unite the opposition,” he said.

The two-round primary race is part of a hard-won strategy by Hungary’s six main opposition parties to put aside ideological differences and mount a single challenger to Orban after more than a decade of bitter losses to his Fidesz party, which holds a two-thirds majority in parliament.

Total unity is the only method, they say, to overcome an electoral system authored by Orban’s party that gives it an unfair advantage.

Their coalition includes green, liberal and right-wing parties, as well as Marki-Zay’s “Everyone’s Hungary Movement,” an independent civic political initiative.

Despite coming in third place during the first round of the primary, receiving 7% fewer votes than Karacsony, Marki-Zay has insisted that only he can mobilize both liberal and conservative Hungarians — and disaffected Fidesz voters — who want an end to Orban’s rule.

Marki-Zay will now face center-left candidate Klara Dobrev of the Democratic Coalition party, who won the most votes in the first primary round.

Dobrev, a 49-year-old lawyer and economist and a vice president of the European Parliament, has campaigned on dismantling Orban’s political system and challenging Hungary’s 2012 constitution, which was unilaterally authored and passed by his party.

Both Karacsony and Marki-Zay have argued that Dobrev will be unable to defeat Orban in a national election, due in part to the fact that she is married to former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, one of Hungary’s most divisive and unpopular politicians.

Hungary under Orban has “lost its way,” Marki-Zay said at Friday’s news conference, and become “a corrupt dictatorship from which people are fleeing.”

The coming election, he said, “is about whether we will be free and whether Hungary will be European, or whether it will sink into the swamp.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
×