Election 2018 – All left-wing parties but LMP are open to coalition

Leaders of six opposition parties, attending a recent public debate, agreed that the incumbent Fidesz-Christian Democrat government can be replaced after the April 8 general election.

LMP leader Bernadett Szél said that if the opposition wins the ballot, a more just, democratic election should be called as soon as possible. Leaders of the Socialist-Párbeszéd electoral alliance, the Democratic Coalition (DK), LMP, Együtt and Momentum, in turn, said they would rather favour to see a coalition government, based on compromises.

The debate, held in Budapest late on Wednesday, was organised by the Válasszunk! 2018 (Let’s vote! 2018 – V18) group. Former foreign minister and EU commissioner Péter Balázs, who is heading the group, said ruling Fidesz and radical nationalist Jobbik had not accepted their invitation.

Gergely Karácsony, the Socialist-Párbeszéd PM candidate, said it would have been more fortunate if the debate had taken place a year ago, and the “democratic opposition” could now face Fidesz in unity.

“We should have made a joint offer to the nation,” he said.

Szél, LMP’s PM candidate, said Fidesz had failed, with a majority of Hungarian voters wishing to see a change in government. She said LMP had sought full-scale cooperation on the opposition side but met with harsh resistance.

DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsány said that most voters “had become familiar with the nature of the current electoral system”. Now it is up to the opposition parties to enforce the majority’s will to replace the government, he said.

Együtt board leader Viktor Szigetvári said the general mood favours “a change in regime”, and welcomed recent shifts towards broader cooperation on the opposition side.

Momentum leader András Fekete-Győr said their party had been born from a general dissatisfaction with the corrupt government and the squabbling opposition.