Centrist Democrat International condemns Hungarian left’s alliance with Jobbik
The CDI’s leadership passed the resolution at Fidesz’s request in a meeting on Thursday evening, Nemeth told MTI.
The document condemns Hungary’s left-wing parties for their alliance with Jobbik, stressing that the CDI considers cooperation with “extremist, xenophobic, racist and anti-Semitic” political forces unacceptable, he said, arguing that such cooperation hurt ethnic and religious minorities, including Europe’s Jewish community.
Nemeth said the CDI had also expressed concern over Jobbik’s “anti-European prejudices”, noting that the party had for a long time advocated Hungary’s exit from the European Union, with many of its rallies at the time featuring EU flag-burning.
“In the present situation this anti-European sentiment is the last thing Europe needs,” he said.
The CDI has issued a clear zero-tolerance position on xenophobic, racist and anti-Semitic views, Nemeth said, adding that the organisation was calling on Hungary’s left-wing parties to refrain from all forms of cooperation with political forces that express such views.
In its resolution, the CDI raised concerns “about the fact that left and liberal parties in Hungary who in recent years distanced themselves from far-right Jobbik are now aiming to help the far-right come to power in a potential future governing coalition”.
The organisation, of which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a vice-president, “condemns any kind of cooperation between the European socialist and liberal parties and the xenophobic, antisemitic and anti-European extremist movements”, it said. The CDI added that it specifically condemned Hungary’s left wing “for including Jobbik, a party known for its anti-Semitic and racist ideology, in an electoral alliance”.
It also expressed concern over cooperation between mainstream parties and “anti-Semitic politicians”, which it said “could seriously endanger the situation of the religious minorities, especially the flourishing Jewish community in Europe”.
