In his first interview with Magyar Nemzet since his resignation as chairman of Jobbik, Gábor Vona argues that the opposition parties are competing for the same electorate rather than trying to broaden their combined constituency.
Magyar Nemzet carries an interview with former Jobbik party chief Gábor Vona who laments that his idea to build a centrist political force has proved unfeasible due to the extreme polarisation of the public sphere. He says after having led Jobbik out of its original blind alley of radicalism, he tried to form a winning alliance of 21st century parties ‘without both Orbán and Gyurcsány’ but failed and resigned as a result. He finds it discouraging tat ‘it is Gyurcsány who calls the shots in the opposition’. Vona who now confines his political activity to his videoblog is saddened by the sight of his former party’s slide from 20 to about 6 per cent support among potential voters and attributes it to his successors’ decision to compete with left-wing parties for support within the lower middle classes instead of seeking new audiences among more educated middle class layers, including former Fidesz sympathisers.
