“There is no coalition crisis but there is a need for one,” a senior Socialist politician wryly observed to Népszabadság yesterday.
Reliable Socialist and Free Democrat sources said the coalition parties could exchange some ministries as a way out of the current governing and coalition difficulties.
There are a growing number of signs that the Socialists would prefer to quiet down the health insurance issue and would go as far as excluding private capital, Népszabadság writes. They are unlikely to win the support of the Free Democrats in this, as chairman János Kóka will not go along with the idea.
However, his rival Gábor Fodor is presumed to be more flexible. Fodor told Klubrádió yesterday that “we have had our critical moments in Hungary but this appears to be extraordinary. The coalition has lost a great deal of credibility and this must change.”
If the liberals give way, they can hardly keep the Health Ministry, Népszabadság observes. The question is what Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány can offer the Free Democrats in exchange. The Foreign Ministry has been suggested as one option, but it does not carry major political influence.
The dissolution of the coalition is not on the agenda, and the pent-up steam is intended to be let off through minor cabinet changes, according to the newspaper. However, government spokesman Dávid Daróczi said Gyurcsány has no intention of shuffling the cabinet.
With the current mood in the country it would be smarter by the Government to dissolve the Parliament and let Fidesz get 2/3-majority. Fidesz would then take away all laws that they have used to block the current Gov’s work. With the so far known policy Fidesz would wreak the Hungarian economy, delaying the Euro and become very unpopular inside 2 years.
Or Fidesz will implement the needed reforms and become very unpopular inside 2 years.
Interesting to see how Orban will handle that situation.
It’s an obvious strategy – cripple the country to such an extent that
in the unlikely event they lose the next election, the incoming
government won’t be able to make any progress within 4 years. In
fact, any measures they take to fix the mess they inherit would
make them massively unpopular and ensure they don’t get a
second term. Don’t believe it? Just wait and see.
Fidesz would probably get 2/3-majority in a new Parliament if elections where held inside 3 months. This gives Fidesz total control to change the Constitution and take away all the tools Viktor Orban have used in opposition to “cripple the country”.
Hence the future opposition can only sit and wait for the next election. Of course they can appeal to the masses and have big meetings and get beaten up by the Police, but that is mere show anyway.
It will be up to Orban to fix today’s mess.
“the tools Viktor Orban have used”, “block the governments work”
- what the hell are you talking about? He’s not in power, and hasn’t
been for the last 6 years. Unless you think he’s secretly running the
country and is to blame for everything. We don’t think that, now do
we? Jeez, anyone would think you’re some sort of Commie
Kleptocracy sympathiser, but no-one could be that stupid! At least
I give you some credit.
The Constitutional Court’s (CC) decision to let the “fee”-referendum to go on, by declaring that the fees was not a part of the State Budget, is one example. It has set a new standard which earlier CC has rejected. For any future majority government to rule effectively the Constitution must be amended to remove that loophole.
Believe me, as soon as Fidesz get 2/3 majority, they will plug that hole. Otherwise MSZP (in opposition) will call referendums and win on every money issue.