CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2026
| Author | Fenyves, David |
|---|---|
| Title | From Joke to Legitimacy: The Transforming Role of the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) in the Opposition Landscape |
| Summary | This thesis investigates the political evolution of the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party (Magyar Kétfarkú Kutya Párt, MKKP) within the context of Hungary’s hybrid regime. It argues that the MKKP has transcended the traditional "joke party" typology by shifting from satirical critique to "Micro-Performance Legitimacy," a strategy wherein political authority is constructed through the tangible remediation of local infrastructure and civic action. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates a targeted online public opinion survey (N=257) with a semi-structured elite interview to analyze voter behavior and internal party strategy. The empirical findings reveal that the opposition electorate overwhelmingly views the MKKP as a credible actor (83.7%), refuting the notion that it functions solely as a vehicle for nihilistic protest. Voters display a coherent progressive-green value profile rather than chaotic anti-establishment sentiment. However, the analysis identifies a structural "Competency Ceiling": while the party enjoys high trust regarding local problem-solving, voters express skepticism regarding its national governing capacity. This limitation is framed as a strategic trade-off: by prioritizing authenticity and organic growth over the intangible promises of traditional politics, the party distinguishes itself from the establishment but simultaneously reinforces the "joke" heuristic that limits its perceived executive viability. Consequently, the study uncovers a significant "hidden electorate" that aligns with MKKP values but votes strategically for the Tisza Party to ensure government change. The thesis concludes that while MKKP successfully functions as a hybrid civil-political actor, its electoral growth remains constrained by the coordination dilemmas inherent to the Hungarian dominant-party system. |
| Supervisor | Simonovits, Gabor |
| Department | Undergraduate Studies BA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2026/fenyves_david.pdf |
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