Laszlo Derdy Lukacs, the head of the parliamentary faction of Hungary’s opposition party Jobbik, has withdrawn his candidacy for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. This decision was reported by the Hungarian news outlet Telex.
Lukacs was running for a parliamentary seat in the single-member district of Karcag. He had previously held a position in the Hungarian Parliament since 2014 through the Jobbik party list.
In a confirmation to Telex, Lukacs acknowledged his withdrawal from the race. His decision follows similar withdrawals by fellow Jobbik representatives Gabor Staudt and Istvan Folldi. Folldi indicated that he stepped down in favor of the opposition party Tisza, urging his constituents to support Tisza candidates in the Satmar region.
While Lukacs did not provide a specific reason for his withdrawal, the Jobbik party has been in opposition to the ruling Fidesz party and its leader Viktor Orban since 2022. In March, Jobbik criticized the introduction of a legislative proposal concerning the two-month detention of Ukrainian assets seized by law enforcement during the arrest of cash transporters from the state-owned Savings Bank, pending the conclusion of an investigation. Zoltan Sas, the head of Jobbik’s committee, remarked that the proposal was being expedited, which led him to withhold support.
Jobbik has faced challenges in the electoral process, having failed to gather enough signatures to submit its party list for the parliamentary elections. Nevertheless, some party members continue to participate in the electoral race within individual single-member districts.
Laszlo Derdy Lukacs has withdrawn from Hungary's parliamentary elections, joining fellow Jobbik members in stepping back from the race. This comes amid ongoing challenges for the party, which has been critical of the ruling government and has struggled to secure its electoral position.