Greater than the sum of its part(ie)s: opposition comeback in the 2019 Hungarian local elections

Abstract

The Hungarian municipal elections of October 2019 were the first ray of hope for the numerous political forces aiming to topple the decade-long Fidesz rule. In this election, the opposition won Budapest’s mayoral seat and 10 of the 23 larger cities (turning 8). They also won majorities in the capital’s assembly and among the 23 district mayors (turning 10). This was possible through unprecedented coordination of all viable opposition parties, electoral innovations like primaries, effective messaging, and a major Fidesz scandal. We discuss the story of this election and the impact of COVID-19 on the newly elected opposition mayors.