A joint prime ministerial candidate is needed who can make a joint offer to create a joint country, Karácsony, who is also co-leader of Párbeszéd, told the Socialists’ season-opening event in Budapest.

He described ruling Fidesz as the best-organised minority and said he and his supporters are tasked with organising the power of the people against the people in power. The alliance of Párbeszéd and the Socialists is open to all parties and citizens and “the door will remain open until the very end,” Karácsony added.

He said he was “not a saviour but one who serves” and if leading a joint list was the best way to serve then that’s what he would do. The aim is to replace “Fidesz’s pseudo-democracy” with social democracy, he added.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán enjoyed many people’s trust in 2010 but they have become deeply disappointed, Karácsony said.

“Never before in Hungarian history had someone received such a chance to serve the people” and never before had someone “abused his power to such an extent”, he added. Karácsony asked the people not to believe in “false prophets” who claim that it will be impossible to win in 2018.

Socialist leader for Budapest Ágnes Kunhalmi told the meeting that Fidesz would automatically get a two-thirds majority if there is no joint list and joint prime ministerial candidate for the left-wing opposition in the 2018 election.

The competition between democratic parties must end because it will make the left-wing disintegrate, she added.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Koszticsák Szilárd