"DEMOCRACY WITHOUT COMPROMISE"; STRENGTH WITHOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUDAPEST 002377

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NSC FOR ADAM STERLING

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2011
TAGS: PGOV KDEM HU
SUBJECT: "DEMOCRACY WITHOUT COMPROMISE"; STRENGTH WITHOUT
MAJORITY: FIDESZ PARTY CONGRESS


Classified By: POL/C ERIC V. GAUDIOSI; REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) Summary: FIDESZ held its 21st party congress in Gyor
November 25, introducing its new theme of "democracy without
compromise," emphasizing its commitment to the politics of
inclusion, and taking steps to tighten Viktor Orban's control
over several newly-created local party fora. End Summary.

THE DILEMMA OF STRENGTH WITHOUT MAJORITY


2. (SBU) Although the event opened with a long video tribute
to recently-deceased Hungarian soccer legend Ferenc Puszkas,
the weekend got off to a rough start for FIDESZ with Friday's
publication of photos of a minor party official in SS
regalia. Despite quick action to expel him from the party,
the episode did little to polish FIDESZ's image.


3. (SBU) Following clips of his gold medal performance in
the Seoul Olympics men's gymnastics competition,
newly-elected Gyor Mayor Zsolt Borkai framed FIDESZ's central
dilemma in his welcoming remarks: how can the party turn its
local strength into national victory?


4. (SBU) FIDESZ faction leader Tibor Navracsics echoed this
theme in his address, challenging the party faithful to work
to secure a parliamentary majority in the next national
election. Describing FIDESZ as "the most diverse, most
popular, and most tolerant" party in Hungary, Navracsics
cited strong ties to Hungarian communities abroad, to the
Roma community, to civic organizations including the MAGASZ
farmers association, to other conservative European parties,
and to those "of all generations and all faiths committed to
the ideal of a civic Hungary."


5. (SBU) Turning his sights on the Gyurcsany government,
Navracsics blamed the PM for creating a "crisis of Hungarian
democracy." The government, he charged, has "treated the
national budget as Gyurcsany's private account," attempting
to run the country by "shadow committees" beyond parliament's
oversight. In response, he called on the party to engage
substantively to promote its key themes of: Economic and
Social Justice; Quality of Life; Public Services; and,
Competitiveness.

ENFORCING PARTY DISCIPLINE


6. (C) Several of the party's most prominent up-and-comers
were conspicuously sidelined. MP and Mayor of Budapest's
Castle District Tamas Gabor Nagy was relegated to a minor
procedural role, and Budapest's District V Mayor Antal Rogan
attended only as a spectator. Debrecen Mayor Lajos Kosa, a
founding member of the party, was limited to presiding over
open discussion of the party's platform. (Note: Kosa did
make the most of this role, however, defusing an embarrassing
moment when a speaker from the crowd unfurled the "Arpad
flag" associated with the WW II - era Arrow Cross by
commenting "this certainly proves that we are the most ...
diverse party." End Note.)


7. (SBU) The structural changes adopted by the convention
appear intended to both recognize the growing importance of
grass-roots activism and reduce the chances that rivals to
Orban - such as Kosa - will be able to use local fora as a
stepping-stone to national prominence. Both of the new
bodies introducted by the party to coordinate regional
efforts will report directly to Orban, a step political
scientist Zoltan Kiszelly described as "new webs for the same
spider." In another move designed to enforce party
discipline, a new by-law calls for the immediate and
automatic expulsion of any party member who challenges a
chosen FIDESZ candidate in an election.

ENTER ORBAN ... AGAIN


8. (SBU) Party president Viktor Orban received a standing
ovation for his keynote address, which denounced PM Gyurcsany
as a "charlatan" and a "buffoon" responsible for Hungary's
"moral degradation." Speaking for a near-record one hour,
Orban emphasized FIDESZ's strength at the local and regional
level and asserted that "the nation cannot be in opposition."
He identified the party's priorities as exposing "the
Socialists' lies," organizing reforms at the local level, and
preparing for a referendum next year.


9. (C) Comment: Imperfectly scripted and sparsely attended,
the convention was an awkward coming-out party for the "new"
FIDESZ, perhaps best captured when one attendee removed his
suit jacket to expose a sleeveless shirt underneath.
Navracsics' call for substantive engagement on the issues is
a step in the right direction, but there is little new in the

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party's populist and reflexively negative rhetoric. Comments
that Hungarians "live worse than we did four years ago" -
FIDESZ's unsuccessful campaign slogan in the last national
elections - were heard throughout the speeches, and there
were few solutions proposed. While the party does have
significant local strength to build on following the local
elections, Orban's moves to keep real decision-making
authority in his own hands make it increasingly apparent that
he wants diversity without rivalry. Although his personal
appeal remains FIDESZ's greatest strength, his personal
leadership is often the party's greatest weakness. There is
a natural tension between Orban's policy of "excommunication"
and local FIDESZ officials' interest in working with the
government, and it remains to be seen whether the party is
giving him his own way ... or giving him more rope. End
Comment.





FOLEY