Gordon Bajnai came close to declaring his candidacy for prime minister, but ultimately shrank back from a pledge to run. In his much awaited speech he was harshly critical of the government, however, calling on a wide coalition to oust Fidesz and restore democracy and sound economic policy. Not far away, the prime minister himself spoke before his adherents, essentially reiterating the motifs of his earlier speeches, notably the threat of foreign domination and the decline of the West. While the 23 October brought few surprises, Bajnai did manage to get Milla’s leader, the politician-bashing Péter Juhász, as well as Solidarity’s Péter Kónya to sign up for a co-operation with the former premier, marking the first two pieces in the complex puzzle that Bajnai will need to solve to successfully run in 2014.

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