Hungarian Elections 2006
Is Centrum Party a force to be reckoned with?
In Hungary, new parties have not been able to get into the Parliament. Experience shows that it takes very little effort to fall out of the Hungarian diet, and supposedly an enormous campaign to get in. Four years ago, a small party almost managed to do so.When the aggressive campaign raged in Hungary in 2002, a few politicians and minor parties decided to form a coalition that sided with neither the nationalists, nor the socialists. The coalition was named Centrum, and Mihály Kupa, a widely popular and previously independent politician became its leader. Unfortunately, the effort was too little, too late: Hungarians were already engaged in the battle between the two major parties, and did not have an interest in a small party. A few Hungarian voters who had enough of the quarrels of FIDESZ and MSZP, still voted for the Centrum, but their effort was in vain.
Now, four years later, Centrum still exists, and Mihály Kupa is still its leader. It is a non-radical party, a possible "middle way" between the two major parties of Hungary. The presence of Centrum could even play a positive role, but they seem to have forgotten the elections again. At the congress of the party, in early February 2006, Kupa said that they plan to be part of the diet in the next four years through independent members, thus by 2010 Centrum could become an important political force. Statements like this make the casual observer wonder whether Centrum will get any votes in 2006, and whether it will survive until 2010.
Hungarian elections 2006 - Attacks on Politicians
Hungarian elections 2006 - Hunt for the Elderly Lady of FIDESZ
Hungarian elections 2006 - Pisti Kovács is face of campaign and biggest success of SZDSZ
Hungarian elections 2006 - Do Hungarians live worse than four years ago?
Hungarian elections 2006 - Where are the nationalists?
Hungarian elections 2006 - The chances of smaller parties
Hungarian elections 2006 - Is Centrum Party a force to be reckoned with?
Hungarian elections 2006 - The second wave of posters
Hungarian elections 2006 - The last week of the campaign
Was life in Hungary was better during the Communism?
