Fearful politicians want no part of common sense.
Outgoing Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said on Monday Hungary’s mainparties must join forces to prevent the far right entering parliamentin April elections, calling it a “monster” that threatens democracy.
Hungary will hold elections on April 11 and 25.
Opinionpolls give the far-right party Jobbik 6-7 percent support, which couldlead to it winning dozens of seats in the Hungarian parliament. It wonthree in the European parliament last year.
Jobbik has beenbanking on deep public discontent over the economic crisis and risingresentment against Hungary’s large Roma minority. It campaigns on taxcuts, clamping down on corruption and what it calls “Roma crime”.
“Thismonster stands in front of our doors and is banging on the doordemanding that we let it in,” Bajnai said in a speech in parliament.Jobbik has no representation in parliament.
“It became a movement … from a movement a party, and it got intoEuropean Parliament and now it wants to make it into the Hungarianparliament,” said Bafnai, who is not running in the April election.
Jobbikhas strong support in the countryside, mainly in the northeast whereunemployment is high. Analysts have said that cooperation with the farright could dent the next government’s image in the eyes of investors.
Bajnai said Jobbik had no realistic programme and was only seeking scapegoats for the economic crisis.
“Thefar right … abuses democracy and freedom. It lies that it has asolution to all those who have been worn out and have lost patience,while it itself is the problem,” he said.
[Not quite. –Ed]
The main centre-rightopposition party Fidesz, widely expected to win the elections and oustthe ruling Socialists, has ruled out any coalition with Jobbik.
TheSocialist minority government has steered Hungary back from the brinkof financial collapse since it called in the International MonetaryFund in 2008. But the economy contracted by 6.3 percent in 2009 and joblosses soared.
The main parties remained split later on Monday invotes on proposals to fight both far-right and far-left ideas.Parliament approved legislation to punish public Holocaust denial withup to three years in prison, the Socialists voting in favour andFidesz, whose proposal to add Communist crimes to the bill failed toget a majority, abstaining.