The European People's Party (EPP), the largest political bloc in the European Union, called Tuesday for the immediate resignation of Hungary's government, saying Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany had undermined democratic principles through political dishonesty.
The EPP urged the Hungarian Socialist Party and its coalition partner to withdraw their backing from Gyurcsany, arguing that early elections were necessary to rebuild public confidence in Hungarian democratic institutions.
The second-largest EU political grouping took the opposite view. Party of European Socialists leader Nyrup Rasmussen defended the prime minister, describing him as the right person to steer Hungary through its reform process and warning against handing power to the right wing.
Rasmussen argued that a right-wing government would shift the burden of reform onto ordinary citizens while favoring the wealthy, saying Hungary's current challenges required the Socialist premier to stay in office.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.