The Satirical Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) has confirmed they will run alone in the upcoming general elections. This comes after the opposition cooperation’s newly-elected prime ministerial candidate had been reportedly trying to convince them not to run separately. Recent surveys say MKKP may well jump over the Parliamentary threshold in the upcoming elections.
Founded in 2006, but registered as an official political party only in 2014, slowly but surely, MKKP, a satirical party, has since established itself in Hungarian politics. After the party garnered 1.73% in the 2018 elections, it became eligible to receive government funds, mostly spent on street-art campaigns, and the implementation of smaller-scale community projects. MKKP is also very loud in fighting corruption, in which they spare neither the opposition (they took a firm stance against MSZP MP Csaba Tóth in Zugló), nor ruling Fidesz. After the 2019 municipal elections, the party delegated representatives in two local governments of the capital (one each in the Fidesz-led 2nd and opposition-led 12th districts), further increasing their importance.
Since their popularity has grown recently, their role and stance some six months ahead of the general elections have become a hot topic to address. In a recent interview, party leader Gergely Kovács (himself also the party’s representative in the 12th district) revealed the opposition cooperation’s newly-elected prime ministerial candidate had made a proposition for the party. Namely, if the party decides to step back from running alone, Péter Márki-Zay would lobby for a (qualifying) place for the party on the opposition cooperation’s list (and in a potential, 7th parliamentary group, which according to Márki-Zay’s plan, would include his movement’s members and civilians).
Gergő Kovács, however, declined the offer, arguing that if they chose to do so, MKKP would collapse. He explained that in that case, a multiple percentage of the opposition’s votes would be lost, as MKKP’s electoral base wouldn’t cast their ballots for either the ruling forces or for the opposition cooperation, but would rather stay home.
Although he personally sympathizes with Márki-Zay, he doesn’t view the Hódmezővásárhely mayor’s victory as having replaced the opposition (he means the old left-liberal parties, something that has been an argument by many about Márki-Zay, viewed as an outsider of the establishment).
According to the MKKP leader, if everyone who likes them would vote for them, they could bag some 5-6 seats in Parliament, “who are not Fidesz.” He confirmed that they would field some 85 candidates.
About a potential alliance in the next parliamentary cycle, Kovács said they wouldn’t form an alliance with anyone, but would work similarly to the way they currently work in the local governments.
As a matter of fact, recent surveys confirm that the satirical party has good chances to “gain qualification” in Parliament in the next cycle. Liberal-leaning Medián, usually among the most reliable pollsters, polled MKKP to pocket 7% among decided voters and 6% among the voting-eligible population provided they would run alone. Even if they joined the opposition cooperation, they would obtain some 5%.
Featured photo via Two-tailed Dog Party’s Facebook page