Hungary opposition candidates Gergely Karacsony wins Budapest in blow for prime minister

Budapest: Hungary’s opposition won the Budapest mayoralty Sunday in local elections, the first electoral blow for nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban since he came to power in 2010.

With around 62 per cent of votes counted, centre-left challenger Gergely Karacsony led by around 50 per cent of the vote ahead of the incumbent mayor Istvan Tarlos on around 45 per cent.

In office since 2010, Tarlos, backed by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party, congratulated the 44-year-old Karacsony by telephone, a spokesperson for Karacsony told AFP.