Zoltán Pokorni Steps Down from Politics, Successor in the Wings
ZOLTÁN POKORNI will not seek reelection in the upcoming municipal elections this June for the position of mayor of Budapest's 12th district, a post he has held since 2006.
It is anticipated that Fidesz will nominate his current deputy, KRISZTINA FONTI, as their candidate.
Speculation has been rife for months within the district that Pokorni, who once also served as the president of Fidesz, is planning his retirement from politics. The Two-Tailed Dog Party raised the question on their Facebook page as early as January 25th:
Should we be the ones to announce that Pokorni won’t run this year, or will someone else do it?
Upon reaching Zoltán Pokorni by phone recently, we inquired whether his decision not to seek re-election had been finalized. The politician said that he is not yet making any statements. He cited the ongoing selection process for the mayoral candidacy as the reason, saying that district leaders had been asked to refrain from public appearances until a decision is reached. Pokorni stated that he is complying with this request (although in the meantime, the identities of other Fidesz candidates for different districts have been confirmed).
The Fidesz organization of the hillside district cannot delay the formal announcement much longer, as they have convened a candidate nomination committee meeting for Friday, to which GERGELY GULYÁS, the Minister heading the Prime Minister's Office, has been invited. It is during this event that Krisztina Fonti's candidacy might officially be endorsed. In recent weeks, Fonti has been more active, notably speaking out about the issue of neonazis infiltrating the local community during the Day of Breakout commemorative events, a matter she highlighted due to their illegal display of totalitarian symbols. Following her Facebook post on the matter, Fonti reportedly received death threats.
Pokorni's decision could influence the opposition's chances, as there is a widespread belief that his personal popularity significantly exceeds that of his party, and his withdrawal might improve the opposition’s odds. Several opposition parties have indicated their intention to field their own candidates for the mayoral position. Gergely Kovács, chairman of the Two-Tailed Dog Party and local council representative, was first to announce his entry into the race. He was followed by Momentum nominating the district's former police chief, CSABA FARKAS, and then by the LMP, which indicated its intention to run its former co-president, JÁNOS KENDERNAY. The Democratic Coalition (DK) and the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) have not yet announced any endorsements.
Speculation has been rife for months within the district that Pokorni, who once also served as the president of Fidesz, is planning his retirement from politics. The Two-Tailed Dog Party raised the question on their Facebook page as early as January 25th:
Should we be the ones to announce that Pokorni won’t run this year, or will someone else do it?
Upon reaching Zoltán Pokorni by phone recently, we inquired whether his decision not to seek re-election had been finalized. The politician said that he is not yet making any statements. He cited the ongoing selection process for the mayoral candidacy as the reason, saying that district leaders had been asked to refrain from public appearances until a decision is reached. Pokorni stated that he is complying with this request (although in the meantime, the identities of other Fidesz candidates for different districts have been confirmed).
The Fidesz organization of the hillside district cannot delay the formal announcement much longer, as they have convened a candidate nomination committee meeting for Friday, to which GERGELY GULYÁS, the Minister heading the Prime Minister's Office, has been invited. It is during this event that Krisztina Fonti's candidacy might officially be endorsed. In recent weeks, Fonti has been more active, notably speaking out about the issue of neonazis infiltrating the local community during the Day of Breakout commemorative events, a matter she highlighted due to their illegal display of totalitarian symbols. Following her Facebook post on the matter, Fonti reportedly received death threats.
Pokorni's decision could influence the opposition's chances, as there is a widespread belief that his personal popularity significantly exceeds that of his party, and his withdrawal might improve the opposition’s odds. Several opposition parties have indicated their intention to field their own candidates for the mayoral position. Gergely Kovács, chairman of the Two-Tailed Dog Party and local council representative, was first to announce his entry into the race. He was followed by Momentum nominating the district's former police chief, CSABA FARKAS, and then by the LMP, which indicated its intention to run its former co-president, JÁNOS KENDERNAY. The Democratic Coalition (DK) and the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) have not yet announced any endorsements.
