Socialists approve of the left’s joint PM candidate

The Socialist Party’s board supports making Gergely Karácsony, co-leader of the small liberal Párbeszéd (Dialogue) party, the joint prime ministerial candidate of the leftist opposition, the party’s deputy leader said on Tuesday.

Confirming press reports, Zoltán Gőgös told MTI that the party’s board accepted Karácsony’s offer to be a part of a joint election campaign of the left with an “overwhelming majority” on Monday.

Gőgös stressed that the Socialists still insist on fielding joint candidates in individual constituencies, drawing up a common national list and putting forward a joint candidate for prime minister in next year’s general election.

The party will continue negotiations on a potential joint leftist election campaign in line with the board’s decision, he said.

Gőgös also said the Socialists consider Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest’s 14th district, fit to lead a joint election campaign and to serve as prime minister.