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ELECTION CTTEE: KARÁCSONY WINS BUDAPEST MAYORAL ELECTION

Gergely Karácsony has won the election for Budapest mayor, the National Election Committee (NVB) confirmed after a recount of the invalid votes cast in the recent municipal elections, on Friday evening.
 

In last Sunday’s election, Karácsony garnered 371,466 votes and Dávid Vitézy 371,142. Vitézy appealed against the municipal election office’s results referring to a high number of invalid votes, and the body ordered a recount. NVB head Róbert Sasvári said on Friday evening that the recount had resulted in another 112 valid votes for Karácsony and 395 for Vitézy, with Karácsony winning the election with 41 votes. NVB’s decision is appealable in the supreme court. Meanwhile, Karácsony called for a new election after the recount insisting on his earlier position despite the result favouring him, arguing that „the whole process has been infinitely manipulative, full of political misleading, tricks, and wire-tapping.” „All that undermines people’s trust in democracy has been committed … if we want to repair that, we need a new election, a new vote with the same candidates,” he said. The incumbent mayor said he would appeal for legal remedy in connection with the recount and request calling a new election.