He is leading in opinion polls and surprisingly won the election as mayor of Budapest. And now the charismatic politician Jirjeli Carasoni dares the next step.
Mayor of environmental liberalism BudapestGirgeli Carasoni could challenge the right-wing nationalist prime minister in the 2022 parliamentary elections Victor Urban has become. The 45-year-old announced on Saturday in a message on Twitter that he will face primary elections that a coalition of six opposition parties intends to hold in September to freely choose a common leading candidate. “I have announced my candidacy for the post of Hungarian Prime Minister. Enough cronyism and despotism. Our country needs a fresh start. One that works for 99%, not for the privileged 1%.”
Caraxoni said he decided to run because he believed “my home country desperately needed him”. According to surveys, he is Hungary’s most popular opposition politician. He belongs to the Presidium of the Young Prime Minister’s Party (Parbeszéd Magyarorszugt – Dialogue for Hungary).
The opposition is united
The fact that Caraxoni had climbed to the top of the Budapest City Hall, which had long been run by the ruling party Fidesz, was a sign of hope for a change of power in Hungary at the time. His electoral victory was also attributed to the fact that Hungary’s hitherto fragmented opposition against Fides united for the first time.
Orban has ruled since 2010, almost continuously, with a two-thirds majority from Fidesz and its junior partner KDNP (Christian Democrats). Critics accuse Orban of dismantling democracy and curbing media policies, university and cronyism.
