“I have said it many times: I do not want to take on a role in the government,” he said in the interview published on Wednesday.

“Even in the hopeful case of a victory, I do not want to make the job of the prime minister in a future democratic government more difficult,” Gyurcsány said, adding, however, that DK enjoyed increasing political influence.

Gyurcsány also said sentiment in DK against running a joint list with the opposition Socialists was growing and this had been communicated to the Socialists several times. He added that he knew of no democratic opposition party that wanted a joint list with the Socialists.

DK’s overriding message concerns the need to build a united Hungary. “Those that want to govern must acknowledge the performance of Hungary’s thin but existing middle-class and the achievements of the rising middle class,” he said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.