The Socialist Party will not field a candidate for head of state because the Basic Law requires the support of 78 MPs rather than the former 50 for a valid nomination, and the party does not have that many MPs, party leader Attila Mesterházy confirmed yesterday.
He said the party will issue a resolution in which they will outline the conditions that a new presidential candidate should meet, the most important criterion being that he should not be a party soldier.
Mesterházy added that he would accept right-wing figures József Pálinkás, president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, former Academy president Szilveszter E. Vizy, former Corvinus University head Tamás Mészáros or former head of state László Sólyom, whose candidacy was not supported by the Socialists in 2005.
The Socialists would also accept pastor Gábor Iványi, who has been suggested by the Democratic Coalition.
