Corruption Scandal: Fidesz Mayor Buys Votes for €25 in Country House – Video
Ákos Hadházy, Non-Aligned Member of the Hungarian Parliament and Representative of Zugló, recently visited the small, poor Hungarian village of Sidewalk near Ozd to talk with residents whose votes were allegedly bought by the local Fidesz strong blacksmith. According to Hadházy, one vote in this village cost EUR 25 during the municipal elections on June 9th.
Residents shared with Hadházy that they were threatened to support the Fidesz-backed local mayor, Gábor Kovács, or face conscription and being taken away from the village. Multiple residents admitted that their votes were bought by the mayor for EUR 25, with some accepting the money but not voting for him, while others accepted the money and cast their ballot accordingly.
Hadházy also discovered that some residents received the money directly from the mayor, while others received it from his associates. He expressed concern that despite the evidence, the police may not launch an investigation, and the mayor could use pressure or financial incentives to manipulate testimonies. Hadházy emphasized that this practice of buying votes is not unique to Járdánháza but is a widespread tactic used by Fidesz to manipulate elections in the country with the support of its propaganda media.
The village of Sidewalk has seven members in its local government, with the mayor and four councillors being independent, while two councillors won as official candidates of Prime Minister Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP. Gábor Kovács has been the mayor of the village since 2010, and in 2024, the population of the settlement was less than 1,700.
To see more about Hadházy’s visit to Sidewalk and the testimonies of residents, you can watch the video shared on his Facebook page. This incident sheds light on potential corruption and voter manipulation in Hungarian local elections, prompting further investigation and scrutiny.
In related news, a former Hungarian deputy state secretary was recently sentenced to 6.5 years for bribery and forgery. This highlights the ongoing challenges of corruption in Hungarian politics and the importance of transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
