A left-liberal take on electoral chances

An op-ed article in the nationwide left-wing daily suggests that the opposition should abandon its cosmopolitan rhetoric and produce less compromised leaders to stand a fair chance of defeating Fidesz.

In Népszava, Károly Végh suggests that the strategy of Fidesz is to keep the nation in a constant and state of alert against external threats and to this end, the governing party plays on the deeply rooted patriotic feelings of the population.  Such a policy has alienated many urban voters, he continues, while the government side has gained additional support in under-privileged rural areas to compensate for that loss. On the other hand, Végh explains, as the disparate forces of the opposition plan to face the government side in a united alliance, Fidesz is courting radical right-wing voters to broaden its base. Végh believes that this opens up an opportunity for the opposition to win over disillusioned centrist Fidesz supporters. For that to happen, however, those whom he calls ‘tainted’ opposition leaders must be replaced by more attractive ones, and the opposition should stop neglecting the patriotic feelings of the electorate and ridiculing the dangers of mass immigration.

Tags: opposition