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Hungarian Opinion: Outsider Márki-Zay Wins Opposition Primary

• 21 Oct 2021 6:26 AM
• BudaPost

In their first comments after Péter Márki-Zay’s victory was announced late on Sunday night, left-liberal commentators think his unexpected success gives new hope to those Hungarians who want to vote the incumbent government out of office next April.

On 24.hu, Péter Pető writes that Márki-Zay, the solitary newcomer has defeated the opposition parties but will need them to become Prime Minister.

His victory, the liberal commentator remarks, is in many ways similar to Donald Trump’s unexpected success in 2016 as well as to the election of outsiders to leading posts in Slovakia or again the sudden appearance of the 5 Star movement in Italy.

On 444, Péter Magyari also takes the result of the primary as an indication that the ’opposition-minded public’ doesn’t only want to send Fidesz packing but is not particularly enthusiastic about the opposition parties either. Nevertheless, he adds, the opposition leaders have no choice but to stand behind Márki-Zay in an attempt to win the elections next year.

In Népszava, Miklós Hargitay takes Márki-Zay’s election as opposition candidate for Prime Minister as another proof that Hungary has shifted towards the Right over the past decades.

The Left has even lost its domination within the opposition, he writes, and people have realised that if they want to see PM Orbán defeated in next year’s election, they had to choose a moderate right-wing leader. He hopes that now the multifaceted opposition will remain united and spring yet another surprise on the country next April.

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Launched in May 2011 to provide a balanced picture of matters covered in Hungary’s national press. Their aim is to make it easier for English-speakers to understand where this country is now and where it’s heading according to the full spectrum of media opinions.

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