Hungarian local elections, 13 October 2019

Summary:

Reports, analyses and information relating to the local elections held in Hungary in October 2019.

Further information:

The elections were held on 13 October 2019 in order to elect mayors and assembly members.

Since the entry into power of the Fidesz (Hungarian Civic Alliance) government in 2010, opposition parties did not manage to successfully join forces at previous elections. Therefore, this elections were seen as a chance for the opposition to roll back the power of Fidesz, who also hold a supermajority in parliament. Parties from left to right decided to joined forces and have put in many municipalities only one challenger against Fidesz.

Fidesz won the majority of the municipals but they lost Budapest and a great number of Hungary’s largest cities. In the Budapest mayoral race, Gergely Karacsony, the Hungarian opposition challenger, defeated prime minister Viktor Orban's candidate, Istvan Tarlos, with 50.1 percent of the votes to 44.8 percent.

Commentary and Analysis

Wikipedia: 2019 Hungarian local elections https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Hungarian_local_elections

Euronews, 13/10/2019: Hungarians vote in local elections which may loosen the government's grip on power https://www.euronews.com/2019/10/13/hungarians-vote-in-local-elections-which-may-loosen-the-government-s-grip-on-power

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News

France 24, 14/10/2019: Hungary opposition wins Budapest mayoral race in blow for PM Orban https://www.france24.com/en/20191013-hungary-opposition-wins-budapest-mayoral-race-in-blow-for-pm-orban

Hungary Today, 14/10/2019: Fidesz Losing Total Dominance Gives Opposition Hop https://hungarytoday.hu/fidesz-losing-total-dominance-gives-opposition-hope/

Politico, 14/10/2019: Orbán suffers defeat as opposition wins Budapest mayoral race https://www.politico.eu/article/orban-suffers-defeat-as-opposition-wins-budapest-mayoral-race/

Euobserver, 14/10/2019: Hungarian opposition wins Budapest in blow to Orban https://euobserver.com/political/146249

Reuters, 14/10/2019: Hungary's opposition wins Budapest election, makes gains in other cities https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hungary-local-election-budapest-resul/hungarys-opposition-wins-budapest-election-makes-gains-in-other-cities-idUSKBN1WS0QM

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