HUNGARY: Politics Slides Into Dark Days

By Zoltán Dujisin Reprint | | Print |

Zoltán Dujisin

BUDAPEST, Sep 20 2006 (IPS) - Riots have broken out for the second consecutive night in Budapest following revelations that Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány had lied to the electorate in order to obtain re- election for the socialists.

“We have obviously lied throughout the past 18 to 24 months. It was perfectly clear that what we were saying was not true,” the Prime Minister declared at a private meeting of socialist party officials shortly after his victory in the parliamentary elections in April.

The Prime Minister apparently spoke critically of the party, and not to justify it. The contents of the taped meeting were leaked to the press Sunday.

The accusation had already been made by the main opposition party Fidesz, which had started a campaign after the elections accusing the government of having lied to voters about the state of the budget. The deficit was higher than acknowledged.

Now Fidesz feels proven right, and sees in the events an unexpected chance of returning to power, and skipping the daunting perspective of another four years in opposition.

The socialists claim that through his speech, Gyurcsány in fact intended to end the culture of lies reigning in Hungarian politics, right or left.

The socialists also claim the government’s austerity package, aimed at curbing Hungary’s massive deficit, needs to go ahead urgently.

Gyurcsány described the first night of rioting, which took place Monday in front of the Hungarian Television headquarters, as the “longest and darkest night” in the history of post-socialist Hungary.

Tuesday night brought a repetition of the incidents, this time spread throughout the central arteries of the city. As on the previous day, a few hundred rioters, mostly football hooligans and extreme right activists, hurled rocks at policemen, who responded with teargas and water cannons.

Overall 130 demonstrators have been arrested and more than 100 policemen have been injured, one of them seriously. In spite of this, police response has been remarkably moderate so far.

Most of the demonstrators who have been gathering outside the Parliament are Fidesz supporters determined to continue protesting until the government resigns.

The majority of right-wing supporters are uncompromising about Ferenc Gyurcsány, a man who became rich with the transition to capitalism by profiting from his position as a communist youth leader.

Demonstrators shout slogans such as “liar!”, “resign!”, and “system change!”. They say the current government is illegitimate.

Among the peaceful protesters the presence of extreme right youths is noticeable, though not dominant. They are generally being held responsible for the violence that has taken over this otherwise safe city.

“Those who can stop the violence should do it,” government spokeswoman Emese Danks told IPS, hinting at the opposition leaders. She insisted that both the government and the party “stand behind the Prime Minister.”

Fidesz leader Viktor Orbán maintained at a press conference Wednesday that the Prime Minister “is the only one responsible for the situation”, and should resign. He also said he was “against all forms of violence,” and called on protesters not to “endanger the right.”

Orbán has been criticised even by some of his own supporters for not distancing himself from the rioters. The criticism is not new, as his party often aims to lure the extreme right. In the upcoming municipal elections Fidesz is running in coalition with extreme right parties in several localities.

Orbán has said that the upcoming Oct. 1 municipal elections should be seen as a vote of confidence for the government, after which an “independent government of experts” should lead the country until early elections are agreed.

Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom expressed concern over the moral decay of Hungarian politics and said he expects the Prime Minister to apologise, but did not go so far as to demand his resignation.

The ruling coalition has a comfortable majority, and is unlikely to hand over power.. Gyurcsány, often labelled the Hungarian Tony Blair for his political ability and perseverance, will do everything in his hands to stick to the post and carry out his austerity package.

What voters make of the latest events will be tested in the upcoming municipal elections, where Fidesz hopes to gain legitimacy for an eventual new government.

This Saturday Fidesz will hold a rally that is likely to attract thousands of supporters to the streets. The government has asked Fidesz to move the date in the interest of security, but Fidesz has insisted the protest is a commitment to its supporters.

Saturday’s rally will be a decisive test of Fidesz supporters’ proneness to violence, and a unique chance for the party to distance itself from extremism.

The riots have become a means for both the left and the right to put pressure on each other, and there are no predictions on what might happen later this week.