Survey: Opposition’s Marki-Zay lacks appeal among right-wing voters

Several political analysts have argued that Marki-Zay, the conservative mayor of Hodmezovasarhely in southern Hungary, may manage to pick up right-wing votes in next spring’s general election, Szazadveg said in a statement on Thursday, adding that its survey aimed to test this view.

Looking at the ideological makeup of Marki-Zay’s supporters, 44 percent identified as left wing, 45 percent as centrists, while just 9 percent said they were right wing, Szazadveg said.

Fully 93 percent of respondents who supported Marki-Zay said they would vote for the united opposition if the elections were held this coming Sunday, while 7 percent did not answer or were undecided, the pollster said, adding that sympathisers of the current Fidesz-Christian Democrat government appeared to be absent from Marki-Zay’s base.

The survey also found that like Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony’s base, Marki-Zay’s base was dominated by urban, more educated voters. Marki-Zay, the think tank added, was expected to mainly attract the “traditional” left-liberal voters, while right-leaning rural voters appeared to be wary of him.

Altogether 64 percent of Marki-Zay’s supporters welcomed his alliance with the leftist parties and preferred him running with the support of the Socialist Party and the Democratic Coalition (DK). Fully 72 percent said they would support Marki-Zay even more knowing that he was going into the election with the backing of DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsany, DK’s Klara Dobrev, whom he defeated in the second round of the opposition primary to clinch the nomination, and Karacsony.

Szazadveg said the left’s key figures were unacceptable to conservative voters, who were therefore absent from his base.