Instead of political work, there is only aimless hatred and clinging to progressive Western interest groups on the Hungarian left, Ervin Nagy told Magyar Nemzet. Evaluating the current situation of the Hungarian left and the political challenges of the new year, the analyst of the conservative think tank XXI. Század Intézet emphasized that the goal should be to renew the Hungarian left-wing parties, but they are not even giving a slight indication of that. He also noted that in 2023, political stability and the preservation of sovereignty would be the most important things for the governing parties.
‘For the Administration, preserving political stability will be the biggest challenge, and the success of the responses to the crises will also be decisive. It is already apparent that the Orbán Government is not just going with the flow, but taking action. Namely, it is entering the crisis with an idea of a way out. However, the real exam is yet to come, because in 2023, as so many times in the past twelve years, the achievements made so far must be preserved. On the other hand, the left will mostly have to deal with itself in the coming year,’ said Ervin Nagy when Magyar Nemzet asked him about for which political force the new year was the most important and why.
The analyst also reminded us that left-wing parties have to respond to an unprecedented scandal. In 2022, they failed not only politically, but also morally when they accepted financial support from abroad.
‘The best option for the opposition would be to prepare for real renewal, but they are not even giving a slight indication of that. Instead, they are dissembling, and instead of political work, there is only aimless hatred and clinging to progressive Western interest groups on the Hungarian left,’ stressed Ervin Nagy. He also noted that it would be better for the governing parties to compete with a new, nationally-based opposition that can present a viable alternative, as this would strengthen political creativity, too. Besides, the Our Homeland Movement (Mi Hazánk Mozgalom) has to look for new topics as well, because, by the end of the year, their politics has become somewhat ‘jaded’.
The fight for dominance between the Momentum Movement and the Democratic Coalition (DK) has already begun, which will be decisive in the year ahead. The party of former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány is one step ahead for the time being. That is why Momentum is now trying to reactivate MEP Anna Donáth as the new opposition leader since Ferenc Gelencsér, the party’s president, had failed in his position, Ervin Nagy said, adding that the opposition might gain strength as the 2024 elections approach.
It is known that thanks to last year’s amendment to the Fundamental Law of Hungary, the European Parliament and local elections will be held on the same day in 2024. All of this raises the question of what strategy the Hungarian left will choose for the two elections. According to the analyst, the other opposition parties—except for the Our Homeland Movement—can only hope that there will be some form of cooperation in 2024. They will have to enter the competition carefully and accept many conflicts because if they do not, their existence will become meaningless. ‘Who would vote for a small party that says the same thing as DK or Momentum?,’ Ervin Nagy asked.
Speaking about the challenges facing the governing parties, the analyst emphasized that in 2023, the right will have to continue to fight for sovereignty with EU bureaucrats, Western progressionists, and left-wing groups, as well as their Hungarian cells.
‘The year 2022 brought the fall of the entire left-wing political elite, and the complete disengagement of left-wing politics. Since there is no sign of the emergence of quality and nationally-based left-wing politicians, the fallen opposition elite could maintain its power,’ Bálint Rotyis, an analyst at the Nézőpont Institute, said in an interview with Origo. He added that the transfers from one leftist party to another are ongoing, and this will continue in 2023 as well. As he noted, the return of Anna Donáth as president of Momentum can bring some excitement to the political struggles again. ‘With the return of Anna Donáth, a somewhat equal struggle between Momentum and DK may develop, but we are still talking about a fight between two parties that can only occasionally reach ten per cent of the voters’ support,’ he added. He also highlighted that the other opposition parties, such as the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), Jobbik, LMP, and Dialogue for Hungary (Párbeszéd), only exist on paper.
Click here to read the original article
