In order to achieve this ambition, a political transformation within the Socialist Party (MSZP) is essential. There has already been a lot of discussion about the nature of this change. Now it is time to go one step further. We would like to initiate an election within the party, which could play a very important role in its renewal. We need strict regulations to ensure that the economic activity and the financial situation of the party are transparent. Leaders should be made directly responsible for their actions and must be held accountable by the members. This should be the way forward to lay down the foundations of a modern and ethical party. The party of the progressive and democratic Left.
The utterly single-sided and dictatorial way, in which the new constitution was implemented and the republic betrayed, made a lot of things a lot simpler, more clear-cut. Fidesz doesn’t want to engage in any meaningful dialogue with the opposition whatsoever. They don’t need us and they won’t have anything to do with a democratic Hungary. Their overriding ambition is to rule with an iron fist over the people, whatever the costs may be. It is the PM and his party who are standing in the way of a democratic Hungary. We don’t have any choice but to face them, and win the battle. Today, the democratic opposition is still weak. Neither its parties, (MSZP and the Green Party LMP) nor the emerging civil societies and platforms can provide an adequate force that could counterbalance Fidesz. This is how things look today. In order to change this, we need to accomplish the following:

1. Organizing the democratic opposition
2. Implementing the program of a modern Hungary oriented towards the west
3. If the aforementioned criteria are achieved, we can start to rebuild our Republic

As far as the democratic opposition is concerned, everyone knows what to do. For us, within and around the MSZP, we have to make sure that the party can provide adequate responses and resistance in the face of increasing tyranny. Also, the party must accommodate the remaining democratic forces of the country. In order to achieve this goal, a political, cultural and organisational transformation must be accomplished. In essence, a new party must be created. This new party on the center left should be the repository of modern, western oriented values, which links modernization with social solidarity and patriotism with the firm commitment towards the European idea. Within the framework of this newly emerging democratic community, there is no place for radical nationalists, social populists and market fundamentalists.
But this revolutionary change may not be sufficient in itself. We need a party with a new culture, a different outlook. Its politicians, just like the party itself, must be whiter than white. This, of course, is not the image the public holds of the Socialists. But we can make that image go away. The keys to change are in our hands. If we are serious in our endeavor, we are the ones who need to change the rules. It is our firm opinion that Fidesz cannot claim the moral high ground. And still it is us, the Socialists, who have to carry the burden of accusations of corruption and ruthless vying for power. We owe it to our grass-root supporters and members that these mistakes and false accusations are repelled; since it is towards them that we have a huge responsibility. Therefore, it is our intention that this new culture should be rooted in our unshakeable belief in honesty and respectability. It is our ambition that the politicians and the party should be regarded as honest and respectable.
There are two issues we think are of utmost importance before the party election. The first one concerns the economic activity and funding of the party that, we believe, should be made more transparent. We won’t have our honesty tarnished by the use of money the origin of which is not clear. Furthermore, future leaders in the party will have to make sure that their financial situation corresponds with their and their families’ way of life. The second issue would put an end to all kinds of power games and underhand agreements within the party, happening behind the backs of the members. Therefore, we are proposing that all leaders should be elected directly by the membership in the future. We also think that accumulation of positions within the party is untenable. Having said all that, our main concern for the future will remain the bitter fight against tyranny. It will be a hard fight, since our opponents chose to abandon the democratic way. Of course, we too have our problems waiting to be solved. But they are not insolvable. We will decide how we will go about our own business. In this process we are going to heed the rules of democracy, and will not fall prey to any provocation on the part of the government. We have only one goal in mind: to prove that our modern, western oriented values can provide a viable alternative to the tyranny and obscurantism of Fidesz.
Ferenc Gyurcsány, Facebook, April 26. 2011.

Last Updated on Thursday, 05 May 2011 20:47