- Title: Hungarian hard right launches new anti-liberal, racist movement
- Date: 10th July 2017
- Summary: LOWERING FLAGS
- Embargoed: 24th July 2017 12:44
- Keywords: far-right militants racism anti-liberalism movement immigration
- Location: VECSES, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- City: VECSES, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- Country: Hungary
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0046P4WWFT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of Hungarian right-wing militants gathered in a Budapest suburb on Saturday (July 8) to launch a new political movement they hope will run in next year's parliamentary elections on a ticket that includes open racism.
Hungary's main opposition party, Jobbik, has been moving away from its far-right roots and is staking out a more centrist position. This has created space for new hard-right initiatives.
Three groups held a rally in the suburb of Vecses labelled "unfurling the flag of the far right". Although attendance was limited its leaders have reached a national audience in the media and plan to take part in the 2018 elections.
The movement, to be called Force and Determination, looks to be more radical than any political organisation targeting a serious political role since the fall of Communism, and uses openly racist language to oppose liberalism and immigration.
Balazs Laszlo, one of the movement's leaders, told the crowd of mostly black-clad muscular, tattooed men that Europe showed an ill-conceived tolerance in the face of peril from its existing minorities and the influx of millions more people.
Zsolt Tyirityan, another leader of the movement, used the Nazi ideology of Lebensraum, or living space, to paint a stark picture of Europe's present.
After Tyirityan spoke, a supporter approached him to sign a new copy of Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf.
Analysts say the new movement could weaken Jobbik a little, an interest also shared by ruling Fidesz. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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