United for Hungary

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United for Hungary
Egységben Magyarországért
LeaderPéter Márki-Zay[a]
Founded20 December 2020 (2020-12-20)
Political positionBig tent
Alliance partiesDK
Jobbik
MSZP
Dialogue
LMP – Greens
Momentum
MMM (movement)
99M (movement)
Associate partiesÚVNP
Liberals
New Start
Colors  Turquoise
  White
  Blue
SloganLegyen Magyarország mindannyiunké!
(transl. Let Hungary belong to us all!)
National Assembly
52 / 199
European Parliament
8 / 21
County Assemblies
131 / 381
General Assembly of Budapest
18 / 33
Website
egysegbenmagyarorszagert.hu

United for Hungary[b] (Hungarian: Egységben Magyarországért) is a political alliance in Hungary that is scheduled to compete in the 2022 parliamentary election.

History[]

Slogan of the coalition

The need for collaboration[]

The need for opposition cooperation stems from the characteristics of the latest electoral system, the diversity of opposition parties, and the game-theoretic characteristics of human behavior:

  1. a single round, plurality voting system introduced in 2011 delegates the most supported district candidate to parliament, even if his or her support is actually below 50%, only the other candidates received even less support individually
  2. due to the unity of the right-wing ruling parties and the multiplicity of opposition parties, and without opposition coordination, the last voters have been naturally divided among their parties for years, so that their voting power has mostly not reached the one-sided right-wing community
  3. opposition parties face the tragedy of the commons known from game theory, because if they pursue their selfish interests alone, they are more likely to get into parliament and stay afloat, although they cannot form a government, and their cooperation is hampered by the fact that "a selfish player in this game his behavior naturally entails similar behavior by others":
    • "Under the current rules, if a single party lists, it must reach 5% to get in, if two, 10%, if more, 15%."[2] – it encourages selfishness, as there is a greater risk to not reaching the higher threshold
    • "a political group could henceforth be formed only by members of the same party who had drawn up a national list and obtained a mandate in the previous election"[3] – this is a condition for remaining afloat
    • out of 106 "candidates must be nominated in 27 SMDs (since increase to 71) in order for the nominating organization to have a national list"[4] – but the district votes are shattered if more opposition candidates enter in one district
    • vote for losing candidates are transferred to the list tier (although with inherently less weight), thereby encouraging every party to run a candidate in every SMD if they run separately, unless any agreements to tactically withdraw prove more beneficial

According to Tibor Závecz, managing director of Závecz Research, the support data and the willingness of the opposition side to vote show that there can even be close competition between Fidesz and the opposition, which has been cooperating much more closely than before. Fidesz has a huge advantage on the party list, but it can be a potential challenger in the unifying opposition. According to a July 2020 poll, 87% of opposition voters supported the common candidate, 83% also supported the common list.[5]

Foundation and Purpose of the Alliance[]

The founder parties of the alliance at its formation were the Hungarian Socialist Party, Democratic Coalition, Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik), LMP – Hungary's Green Party, Dialogue for Hungary and the Momentum Movement.

The alliance's aim is to nominate one candidate against the Fidesz–KDNP candidate in each of the 106 individual constituencies and, in the event of a victory, to co-govern on the basis of a commonly agreed programme and principles.[6]

Opposition parties are not expected to merge completely, as the goal is not to eliminate differences, but to function if they want not only a change of government, but "to create a lasting livable Hungary where differences can be discussed and managed".[7]

Controversies within the party alliance[]

Closer cooperation through the alliance, but much debate is also expected between the parties. A joint program can be created through close cooperation between the expert staffs, the background institutions and the party foundations operating them, which requires the coordination of financial resources and communication activities.[7]


Primary elections[]

Main article: 2021 Hungarian opposition primary

The party presidents agreed to set up a joint programme in the interests of the country and considered the institution of primary elections to be a legitimate tool for the selection of individual candidates in addition to the negotiated path.[6] Not only individual joint candidates were decided by primary, but also the person of the joint prime ministerial candidate.[8]

The opposition primary was held between 18 and 28 September 2021 (first round) and 10–16 October 2021 (second round), it was the first countrywide primary election in the political history of Hungary. 106 local candidates were elected to be the joint candidates of the participating opposition parties.

Non-partisan candidate Péter Márki-Zay was elected as prime ministerial candidate of the united opposition.

Selection of list candidates[]

The full list of candidates that will make up the joint list of United for Hungary are yet to be announced. Some participating parties, including MSZP, LMP, Momentum and Dialogue for Hungary have already put forward a list of their preferred candidates for the joint list.[9]

Composition[]

United for Hungary is composed of the following political parties and organisations:

Main parties[]

Party Abbr. Main ideology Leader(s)
Hungarian Socialist Party MSZP Social democracy Bertalan Tóth
Ágnes Kunhalmi
Democratic Coalition DK Social liberalism Ferenc Gyurcsány
Movement for a Better Hungary Jobbik Conservatism Péter Jakab
LMP – Hungary's Green Party LMP Green liberalism
Erzsébet Schmuck
Dialogue for Hungary PM Green politics Gergely Karácsony
Tímea Szabó
Momentum Movement MM Liberalism Anna Donáth

Associate parties[]

Party Abbr. Main ideology Leader(s)
Hungarian Liberal Party MLP Liberalism Anett Bősz
New World People's Party ÚVNP Liberal conservatism József Pálinkás
New Start UK Conservative liberalism  [de; hu]

Organizations[]

Organisation Abbr. Ideology Leader
Everybody's Hungary Movement MMM Liberal conservatism Péter Márki-Zay
99 Movement 99M Progressivism Gergely Karácsony

Notes[]

  1. ^ Winner of the 2021 opposition primary, candidate for Prime Minister.
  2. ^ Previously known as the United Opposition.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Gosling, Tim (12 November 2021). "Hungary's Opposition Unites in a Bid to Defeat Orban". World Politics Review. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  2. ^ 444.hu (2020-02-12). "A 22-es választás csapdái" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  3. ^ László, Szily (2019-12-06). "A Fidesz egy módosítással saját maga szabná meg az ellenzéki pártok struktúráját". 444. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  4. ^ Péter, Magyari (2020-01-02). "19-re kellene lapot húznia az ellenzéknek". 444. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
  5. ^ "Orbán elleni csodafegyvert talált az ellenzék?". hvg.hu. 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  6. ^ a b "Minden választókerületben közös jelöltet indít az ellenzék a Fidesz ellen 2022-ben". index.hu. 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  7. ^ a b "Lakner az ellenzéki összefogásról: komoly vizsga lesz a közös jelöltek kiválasztása". hvg.hu. 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  8. ^ "Közös miniszterelnök-jelöltet állít az ellenzék 2022-ben". 24.hu (in Hungarian). 2020-11-16. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  9. ^ "Ungár Péter vezeti az LMP ellenzéki listán belüli listáját". telex (in Hungarian). 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
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