Sunday’s first round of parliamentary elections, where the main opposition Hungarian Socialist Party emerged as winner.
Latest results Monday, April 8, showed that the former Communists turned Socialists overtook Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s center-right Fidesz alliance with about one percent of the vote. The Socialist received 41.2 percent versus 40.3 percent for Fidesz.
Orban has been criticized for reaching out to nationalists, including the far right Hungarian Justice and Life Party (MIEP), known for its perceived anti-semitic and anti-foreigners statements. While Fidesz officials ruled out a future coalition government with MIEP, Prime Minister Orban had refused to distance himself completely from that controversial party.
MIEP UNPOPULAR
However official figures released Monday, April 8, showed that MIEP had not received the legally required 5 percent to fill some of the 386 Parliamentary seats. It was unclear what prompted voters to abandon MIEP, although there were some indications that pressure from Hungarian churches played a role.
Earlier this year the Hungarian Reformed Church condemned some if its leaders for combining their ministries with activities for MIEP, which has accused Jewish people and foreigners of being part of a "conspiracy" and "occupying" Hungary.
MIEP rally’s attracted tens of thousands of people, raising concern among Jewish leaders who are well aware of World War Two, when 600,000 Hungarian Jews were massacred.
SINKING SHIP
"I feel like we are on a ship with a huge hole in it," said MIEP leader Istvan Csurka, who had predicted a 15 percent election support. Yet he made clear that candidates will support Orban’s re-election bid during the second and final run off ballot on April 21.
Csurka’s defeat apparently came as welcome news for international security experts who closely monitored the developments and recently met in Budapest. "I hope Hungary will understand that Europe is about to enter a phase of increasing integration, " said General Klaus Naumann, the former chairman of NATO’s military committee in an earlier interview with BosNewsLife.
Naumann added he hopes that Hungarians understand "that nationalism cannot play a role in tomorrow’s Europe." As the results came in, applause reverberated throughout the headquarters of the Socialists, the heir of the former Soviet backed Communist party.
SURPRISE OUTCOME
However the 59-year old Socialist prime ministerial candidate Peter Medgyessy, a former finance minister, cautioned his supporters that he will only celebrate when the results of the second round are clear. The outcome of Sunday’s vote came as a surprise, after 4 exit polls predicted an Orban victory.
Not everyone is pleased with the results, and several church leaders have praised Orban for trumpeting family values and appealing to Christians to play a more active role in Hungary’s post Communist society. Orban, 38, suggested to his supporters that the election fight was far from over, and urged his supporters "to figure out what the party can do within the next two weeks," before the second round of voting.
Whoever wins the elections, Hungary is expected to become one of the first former Communist countries to join the European Union in 2004. "I hope we can join the European Union, and that is the most important thing," said 18- year old Hungarian Csaba Strasser, who voted for the first time in his life.
