Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) chairman Gábor Fodor announced on Monday that he will run for the leadership of the party’s parliamentary caucus, with the aim of replacing former party leader János Kóka, after the latter’s mandate expires on Friday. The long-running rivalry between Fodor and Kóka has been renewed by Fodor’s declaration, which will possibly result in a deeper division within party, which currently faces a public approval rating so low it faces being “zeroed out” of parliament at the next general election.
Fodor was elected SZDSZ leader in June, but with only two more votes than Kóka, who was Economy Minister during the period before the Liberals stepped out of their coalition with the Socialists. The June ballot followed an earlier leadership election that was plagued by voting irregularities, which only deepened the stresses within the party. The two have not been notably far apart on substantive issues, with personal ambition and differing views on cooperation across party lines – Kóka is closer to elements of the MSZP and Fodor is a former member of Fidesz – likely the biggest drivers of the conflict.
A report by HírTV and the “Független Hírügynökség” (Independent News Agency) claims that last week Fodor tried to convince SZDSZ deputy caucus leader Péter Gusztos to stand for Kóka’s job, but Gusztos apparently turned down the offer. Gusztos has not publicly commented on his decision, which would have provided a face-saving compromise for the two antagonists.
According to left-leaning daily Népszabadság, Fodor’s move will renew tensions within the SZDSZ just as it is preparing for next year’s European Parliament elections, when party unity will be critical. Having no third option, the SZDSZ caucus will have no choice but to choose sides.
Portal Zoom.hu suggests that Fodor moved to oust Kóka because he would have faced a loss of prestige had he allowed the latter to continue as caucus chief. But according to the site, Kóka has recently played his cards far better than Fodor. The party’s success in getting a budget cap and other fiscal restraint mechanisms written into law was a clear success for Kóka (and the Liberals in general.) Fodor, on the other hand, suffered due to the failure of his proposal for a “government of experts” to replace the minority MSZP cabinet in the run-up to the next scheduled election, which was savaged by the party elite both in the capital and in the countryside.
With Fodor now officially gunning for Kóka and Gusztos declining to play peacemaker, the two top members of SZDSZ have entered a zero-sum political game. The one bright point for the party is that the election is likely to bring the struggle between the two to a close one way or another, and is thus has the potential to result in a greater degree of internal stability.
