If they do not coordinate their candidates in at least 50 constituencies, the opposition parties play into ruling Fidesz’s hands, which will then garner two-thirds of the votes, Juhász warned.

Együtt has already refrained from fielding individual candidates in 63 districts, he noted. Juhász still heads the party’s national list.

Commenting on the announcement, Fidesz’s communications chief Balázs Hidvéghi said that “Juhász’s downfall was beating women,” referring to allegations of abuse by the politician’s ex-partner.

People who abuse or humiliate women have no place in Hungarian public service, Hidvéghi said.

MTI photo: Máthé Zoltán