Election committee disqualifies joint opposition candidate on technical grounds.
On Monday the local election committee of Bekescsaba formally rejected the application of liberal upstart party Parbeszed Magyarorszagert (PM) to participate in by-elections scheduled to take place in that city’s 5th electoral district on November 10th. The committee ruled that PM had failed to submit official proof of its existence within 30 days of announcing its candidate. The committee’s decision resulted in the disqualification of the joint opposition candidate for City Council, Katalin Kovacs, who enjoyed the backing of PM, MSzP, DK, and the Hungarian Liberal Party (MLP).
PM immediately appealed the decision and submitted the missing company registration court document the following day. The committee’s decision was upheld on Wednesday by the Bekes County Regional Election Committee.
According to election expert Zoltan Toth the local election committee showed political bias by failing to notify PM that a key document was missing prior to issuing Monday’s decision. However, he also blamed PM for failing to properly train and supervise those working in its local office and for waiting until half an hour before the final deadline to register its candidate. According to Toth the law on elections adopted earlier this year leaves too much to the discretion of the local election committee.
The decision not to allow the joint opposition candidate to run for City Council in Bekescsaba comes in the wake of Sunday’s controversial Fidesz victory in a by-election held in Baja.
Referenced in this article:
Tóth Zoltán, ATV Egyenes Beszéd, 15 October 2013