Peter Marki-Zay, the joint opposition candidate against current Prime Minister Viktor Orban, vowed in Brussels on Thursday to “liberate” the country from corruption and restore democracy with a new constitution in the event of a victory in Hungary’s scheduled elections. in April next year, reports AFP, taken over by Agerpres.
Peter Marki-Zay met in Brussels with several European Commissioners, including the Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova, and then held a press conference.
“If we succeed in ousting Orban from power, we will have to take everything from the beginning,” he was quoted as saying by AFP. “There is no democracy, there is no freedom of the press, there is no rule of law in Hungary,” he said, pledging to restore them. Marki-Zay stressed that in case of an opposition victory in the elections, it will be about “a change of regime, not just a change of government”.
Who is Peter Marki-Zay
The 49-year-old Peter Marki-Zay somehow unexpectedly came to the forefront of Hungarian politics after being elected a joint opposition candidate last month, despite the fact that other names, such as the mayor of Budapest, were considered favorites.
Peter Marki-Zay describes himself as a right-wing politician disappointed by FIDESZ and until he was appointed Viktor Orban’s main opponent, his main political success in 2018 was to be elected mayor in a city of 44,000 people. inhabitants, Hodmezovasarhely, from the southeast, which was considered a bastion of the majority in power.
Former FIDESZ voter, Viktor Orban’s party, Peter Marki-Zay has lived in the United States and Canada for five years and says he no longer recognizes himself in the prime minister’s politics, accused of corruption and authoritarianism.
Marki-Zay wants to repeal the anti-LGBT law
In Brussels on Thursday, he called Viktor Orban a “corrupt dictator and traitor to European values, a traitor to Christianity” and denounced “hate campaigns against LGBT, Roma, Jews and other minorities.”
Marki-Zay also called for the repeal of the anti-LGBT law passed in the summer, which provoked outrage in Brussels, and pledged to grant same-sex couples equal rights to heterosexual couples, especially in marriage.
“We are preparing a new Constitution and, after our electoral victory, in which I hope, we will hold a referendum on this subject in order to build a democratic Hungary,” Marki-Zay promised, although he is a practicing Catholic and the father of seven children.
“There are parts of the Constitution with which we have no problems. But everything that FIDESZ (Orban’s party) has done in the last ten years to consolidate its power and make Orban unbeatable is invalid, “he added.
The opposition candidate, on the other hand, believes that Viktor Orban was right to raise a fence to prevent the arrival of immigrants in 2015, with Marki-Zay seeing this as a “legitimate means to fight illegal immigration”.
Tight fight between Viktor Orban and Peter Marki-Zay
Observers predict a close battle with Viktor Orban, and even Marki-Zay acknowledged that it will be “extremely difficult” to defeat the sovereignist leader, who was in power from 1998-2002 and then without interruption since 2010. The elections will not be “democratic, either. neither free nor fair, “Marki-Zay warned, but added:” But our chances (of defeating Viktor Orban) have never been so great in the last decade. “
Asked about the risks of an opposition victory in Hungary in the event of a victory in the US Capitol in January, Peter Marki-Zay said he “can’t imagine the masses taking to the streets to defend the rights of criminals.”
The latest polls gave the ruling FIDESZ party three percentage points below opposition in voting intentions, and experts say Viktor Orban will use strong electoral bribery to increase his chances.
Viktor Orban moves to populist measures: he caps the price of fuel
A controversial measure has been taken by his government these days: Hungary is capping fuel prices. The decision takes effect on Monday, November 15, for three months.
The maximum price will be 480 forints, ie 1.31 euros per liter. This maximum level is 4 percent lower than the current one in the market. The capping will be done without granting compensation. The state will subsidize consumption with companies’ money, which means, in fact, a partial nationalization of profits.
Following the announcement of the decision, the shares of the MOL group fell by 6.5% on the stock exchange.
The measure would be only temporary, valid until February 15, but Fr.lafonarea is read in a populist key. Hungary will have elections next spring, and Viktor Orban and FIDEZ will face a united opposition.
Editor: Luana Pavaluca
