Sunday

2nd Apr 2023

Hungarian opposition wins Budapest in blow to Orban

  • New Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony (here meeting with regional policy commissioner Corina Cretu in 2018) (Photo: European Commission)

In a surprise win, the Hungarian opposition challenger defeated prime minister Viktor Orban's candidate in the Budapest mayoral race on Sunday (13 October), in a major blow for the nationalistic premier and his ruling Fidesz party.

Gergely Karacsony beat the incumbent Istvan Tarlos with 50.1 percent of the votes to 44.8 percent in a race that also saw opposition candidates win several provincial towns in the country dominated by Orban's Fidesz.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The result, which Karacsony called "historic", is an upset for Orban's party, which has not suffered a major electoral defeat since it came to power in 2010.

"We will wake up in another country, one that has started taking back its freedom," Karacsony told a cheering crowd on Sunday evening.

"Love and cooperation always defeats hate. Lies are always defeated by reality in which people live their lives. Budapest will be green and free," the 44-year-old Karacsony said, who himself hails from a green party, Dialogue, and has been supported by four other opposition parties.

"This is the first step to change Hungary," the former political scientist said in his victory speech, adding "we will take Budapest back to Europe".

Opposition parties gained a majority in the Budapest assembly as well, and won mayoral seats in 10 major cities, while Fidesz won in 13 others. Fidesz also lost several districts in Budapest.

"We accept the decision of the voters in Budapest and we will cooperate with the new mayor," Orban said after the results came in.

"Fidesz is still the strongest party in Hungary," he added.

New chapter?

Budapest follows Istanbul and Warsaw in a line of capitals where opposition parties came to power while the countries are run by nationalist strongmen.

Opposition candidates won despite Fidesz opponents enjoying the support of the public and Fidesz-dominated media and government backing.

The campaign has been the nastiest in the country's recent democratic history, with leaked videos and audio recordings, and with Fidesz accusing opposition candidates of wanting to bring in migrants to Hungary.

In one leaked video, the Fidesz mayor of a western town, Gyor, who was seen at an orgy on a yacht. Although he maintained his seat, the sex scandal likely galvanised voters.

The election results are likely to give a boost to opposition parties. Throughout the country civil society groups, political parties on the left and the far-right have joined forces against Fidesz candidates.

"Hungary's poll elections prove that cooperation works, the opposition reached its best result in 13 years with this strategy," Andras Biro-Nagy, an analyst with Policy Solutions tweeted.

Fidesz has a two-thirds majority in parliament and could still curb municipal rights, making it difficult for opposition mayors to achieve concrete results.

"A new chapter is starting in Hungary! Change is happening tonight all over the country, the local Hungarian elections are serving as a demonstration that people believe in democracy," MEP Anna Donath from the liberal Momentum party, also backing Karacsony, tweeted.

Hungary claims EU 'witch-hunt' over rule of law hearing

Hungary was quizzed by EU ministers over its domestic crackdown on media, judges, academia and NGOs. Hungary's minister responded by saying the country had defended "the European way of life" for centuries, and it should be respected.

Hungary faces EU court for starving migrants

The European Commission is one step away from taking Hungary to court if it does not offer a credible explanation for why it denied detained migrants food in its transit zones along the Serbian border.

Hungary's Orban wins another term, Jobbik support jumps

Hungary's centre-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban was handed another four years in government after national elections on Sunday, early results show, while the far-right Jobbik scooped a fifth of the votes.

Analysis

Orban, the 'anti-Merkel', emboldens European right

Hungary's premier Viktor Orban has inspired 'illiberalism' across central Europe and far-right politicians in the West. His expected re-election this Sunday will further reinforce his standing as a symbol for being tough on Europe's political mainstream.

Opinion

Why is Orban 'nationalising' three Budapest public squares?

Since Gergely Karacsony was elected Green mayor of Budapest in 2019, Viktor Orban's government has actively worked not only to constrict the capital's budget, and thereby impede its operations, but also to appropriate urban areas and monopolise large-scale development.

United anti-Orban opposition pins hopes on primaries

The primaries have been organised by a newly-united opposition alliance, with voting taking place in person and online. Over 633,000 people have cast ballots - around 25 percent of all opposition votes cast in 2018.

Opinion

Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity

From the perspective of international relations, the EU is a rare bird indeed. Theoretically speaking it cannot even exist. The charter of the United Nations, which underlies the current system of global governance, distinguishes between states and organisations of states.

Opinion

Turkey's election — the Erdoğan vs Kılıçdaroğlu showdown

Turkey goes to the polls in May for both a new parliament and new president, after incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdoğan decided against a post-earthquake postponement. The parliamentary outcome is easy to predict — the presidential one less so.

Latest News

  1. EU to press South Korea on arming Ukraine
  2. Aid agencies clam up in Congo sex-for-work scandal
  3. Ukraine — what's been destroyed so far, and who pays?
  4. EU sending anti-coup mission to Moldova in May
  5. Firms will have to reveal and close gender pay-gap
  6. Why do 83% of Albanians want to leave Albania?
  7. Police violence in rural French water demos sparks protests
  8. Work insecurity: the high cost of ultra-fast grocery deliveries

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains
  2. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  3. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us