Leftist challenger to Hungary's Orban quits

BUDAPEST (AFP) - Hungary's main leftist party was rocked Monday when its challenger to Prime Minister Viktor Orban at upcoming elections quit over his failure to build a pact with other opposition parties. 

"I have resigned as Socialist Party prime ministerial candidate," Laszlo Botka said in a letter sent to media. 

Since his candidacy was launched last December the 44-year-old, a popular mayor of the southern city of Szeged, had urged other centrist and leftist parties to form a broad anti-Orban front ahead of the next elections, due to be held by next April. 

But Botka admitted on Monday that his effort had "failed" and blasted the other opposition parties for their reluctance to cooperate, calling it a "historic crime". 

"The democratic opposition parties do not want to win in 2018... Their goal is just win some seats on the benches of the Orban regime's parliament," he said. 

Botka also accused Orban's ruling right-wing Fidesz party of infiltrating the opposition parties including his own in order to block efforts to form alliances. 

"Opposition unity is what most threatens (their) power," he said. 

New election rules introduced in 2011, a year after Orban came to power, mean that most seats in Hungary's 199-seat assembly are won on a winner-takes-all system. 

Orban's critics say the changes were designed to favour Fidesz and punish the fragmented opposition. 

While a recent survey indicated a majority of Hungarians want a change in government, monthly polls consistently show that Fidesz, seeking a third consecutive term in power in 2018, holds a big lead among decided voters. 

Behind Fidesz the Socialists have been vying with the radical nationalists Jobbik for second place, ahead of several smaller centrist and leftist parties. 

Botka's critics said his aggressive negotiating style and lack of charisma had alienated potential allies, while his strategy of fighting the election on a more leftwing policy agenda had been poorly communicated. 

The Socialists' president Gyula Molnar told reporters that Botka's resignation removed an obstacle to opposition unity and gave the party "a new opportunity".