Gyurcsány’s debt to Orbán
June 23rd, 2011In his attempt to reconquer the Socialist Party, former premier Ferenc Gyurcsány is borrowing the methods used by his main rival, present Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a right wing commentator observes.
“There is no conclusive evidence of copyright infringement, but there are five striking similarities”, remarks B. A. (Balázs Ablonczy) in Heti Válasz.
After losing the elections and his post as Prime Minister in 2002, Viktor Orbán initiated a vast, grass-roots movement of “civic circles” around his party. Mr Gyurcsány has set up a party platform, the Democratic Coalition, as well as a liberal movement, the Democratic Charter to support his policies.
The similarities do not end there. Other techniques “copied” by Gyurcsány include opening his party to new currents, using the tools of “direct democracy”, like collecting signatures for a referendum, mobilizing his supporters with meetings and demonstrations, and last but not least, clinging to his role as the number one leader of the opposition.
Apart from the similarities, however, Ablonczy also points to a fundamental difference between the two men. Unlike Orbán for the past two decades, Gyurcsány suffers from the serious disadvantage that he is by no means considered the indisputable leader within his own camp. On the contrary, he has no allies within the party leadership, and all Socialist lobby groups appear to be hanging together in an effort to prevent Gyurcsány’s comeback.