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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that he was responsible for the defeat of his Fidesz party in the general elections on April 12 and called for a “complete renewal of the right-wing community.”Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said last night that he was responsible for the defeat of his Fidesz party in the parliamentary elections on April 12 and called for a “complete renewal of the right-wing community.”
In his first major interview since the election defeat, when asked directly who was responsible for the election defeat, he replied: “Me. I am the party leader”.
Orban said that his political campaign had failed, even though he had all the conditions to be different and accept responsibility for the poor results. We received 2.3 million votes, while our opponent received 3.1 million, Orban said, adding that he promised to analyze why those who did not vote earlier, now voted, but against his party. When asked if he would step down as Fidesz leader, he said that the results were clear and that it was a big defeat.
If the team tells me to sit on the back bench, I will do it. And if they tell me to lead the team in a match as captain, I will do that too, Orban announced.
He said this was the third time he had to “reorganize Fidesz as a movement” since the party lost the 2002 parliamentary elections and vowed to do the job “not only with pleasure, but with joy” if he was given a mandate to do so. Orban added he would propose convening a party congress to elect a new leadership, including a chairman and vice-chairmen. We will complete the first phase of the renovation by the end of June,” he said.
He stressed that if the right-wing undergoes a complete renovation, it could very quickly become capable of action and confront injustice. Orban said he was already familiar with the results of election night, based on voter turnout.
I saw that there would be a problem, I went through that emotional rollercoaster like everyone else. I realized that our campaign was not working. It was built on a different voter turnout, the one we had before. Everyone who came voted additionally in protest against us, Orban said.
He agreed that corruption and the luxurious lifestyle of the elite around Fidesz influenced the result. “I have never covered up corruption, I have always supported the authorities to take measures. But luxury is another thing and it influenced the result. This cannot continue like this,” Orbán stressed.
He added that he was ready to continue leading the party and that the years at the helm of the country were the best of his life. “If I get the trust for that, I will be happy to lead the party forward. From all this pain comes a new energy, I suddenly feel younger,” Orban added.
Speaking about the new government, he said Tisza had promised to improve people’s lives, adding that he hoped they would be able to fulfill that promise. Orban vowed that Fidesz would “support every good measure and oppose every bad one,” adding that where they see harm or injustice, they would “oppose it.” He condemned newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s call for President Tamás Szulók to resign as “completely wrong.”
It is equally wrong to threaten the Constitutional Court or other constitutional institutions, Orban warned.
At the same time, he expressed belief that his government had achieved a lot in terms of the country’s socio-economic development during its 16 years in power.
We can be proud of what we have achieved and we have the strength to defend what we have built,” the Hungarian prime minister said.
Orban wished success to the next government, which will be formed by Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party. He also said that he “wishes those who hope that their lives will improve as a result of these changes that their hopes will be fulfilled.”