Page 60 - The Voyage of Hungarian Christian Democracy - Edited by Mária Rita Kiss

opinion, there was no clear answer to that question. The KDNP continued to pursue dual
communication in identity strategy, appearing both as a party that is closely linked to religion
and as a Christian democratic party of the Western European school. This may have
originated both in tactical considerations and in different approaches co-existing within the
party. As we could see, some realized it at a relatively early stage that the worldview party
element needs a serious upgrade because, as they said, “Christian democracy would soon lose
ground in Hungary, too, if put excessive emphasis on religiousness.
279
Endeavours to modernize the KDNP’s worldview party attribute were also present in
the communication of the Gödöllő congress in 1992 – an event held to renew the KDNP’s
identity strategy. The party definition rendered by Zoltán K. Kovács at the time intended to
free the KDNP from restrictive ideological ties: “[The KDNP] is a worldview party in the sense
that the social teaching of churches is the most important element in its ideological foundation.
This does not mean, however, that they are an ideological or religious party. What it means is
that they formulate their policies based on Christian values… They are programme party that

280
rests on a worldview and ideological foundation.” Miklós Pálos said that in this respect, there
is no “Hungarian Christian democratic model”. The KDNP intends to walk the path of
Western Christian democracy: “to make the modern world Christian and to make Christianity
modern.” In an interview to the Heti Magyarország weekly, chairman László Surján
281
explained that his party cannot be considered a “devotional association”. The KDNP is an
282
organization that intends to reach out to supporters of policies inspired by Christianity.
Faithful people are just as entitled to participate in politics as any other citizen, even though
“there are many who don’t want admit this” he added.
283
As an obvious result of the April congress, the chapter titled “The KDNP’s Ideology”
284
in the “Principles” publication issued in November 1992 offered a seven-point definition of
what it meant to be a “worldview party”. Being more consistent than any previous
descriptions, the chapter explained that as a worldview party, the KDNP strives to give
answers to social questions that harmonize with Christian values and help people realize their
full potential, but at the same time the party stays away from using Christianity for political
purposes. Members of the KDNP are deeply convinced that “fair and honest participation in
public life and politics in a Christian spirit was possible” and that this should be manifested in
both the party’s internal life and in the style of its public politics. Regarding the relationship of
party and church, the document declared that the KDNP was independent of churches and
“does not accept direction and direct influence” from the clergy. However, the party respects
the autonomy of faithful communities and helps churches fulfil their social functions.
Regarding the representation of faithful people, the party’s goal was to “create equal
opportunities for Christian people” as outlined in “the message of the congress”. When

279 Quo vadis, KDNP? Interview with Miklós Pálos in Magyar Hírlap daily. 24 April 1992.
280 A múltból a jelenbe és a jövőbe. [From the Past into the Present and the Future.] Interview in the Heti Magyarország weekly with Zoltán K. Kovács on the
occasion of the Gödöllő congress. Heti Magyarország, 24 April 1992.
281 A KDNP meghatározó erő lesz. [KDNP to Become a Dominant Party. A Pre-Congress Chat with Miklós Pálos] Magyar Hírlap. April 1992.
282 Első kongresszusára készül a KDNP. [KDNP Gets Ready for 1st Congress. Interview with Party Chairman László Surján.] Új Magyarország, 18 April 1992,
Saturday.
283 Egy kis párt követeli a léthez való jogát [A Small Party Demands Right to Exist]. Magyar Nemzet, 25 April 1992.
284 Cf. Core Principles. op. cit. pp. 5-6.

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