As the two top-placed candidates, Dávid Vitézy and Gergely Karácsony were only separated by 324 votes, a partial recount took place, due to the abnormally large numbers of invalid ballots.

[14] He became the joint candidate of the newly formed DK–MSZP–Dialogue Alliance for the position of mayor on 28 March 2024, also leading its General Assembly party list.

[15] The Momentum Movement endorsed Karácsony's mayoral candidacy as well, but decided to run in the election with a separate party list.

[17] Karácsony emphasized that, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global energy crisis, the Fidesz government has taken significant powers and financial resources from Budapest over the past five years purely for political purposes.

During his campaign, Karácsony argued that the future of the city hinges on its ability to provide affordable housing in the short and long term.

He cited his ability to work with the government, pointing to the establishment of a common tariff system with the participation of Hungarian State Railways (MÁV), Volánbusz and Budapesti Közlekedési Zrt..

[13] Karácsony and the opposition parties that supported him declared this the “end of Orbán’s ploy,” arguing that Vitézy was Fidesz’s real candidate, aiming to confuse and split anti-government voters.

[22] During his campaign, Vitézy presented himself as a technocratic outsider, rejecting both Fidesz government policies and the left-wing opposition that has administered Budapest.

[29] Meanwhile, government-aligned media launched a defamatory campaign against Gergely Karácsony, yet remained silent on Vitézy’s candidacy, failing to mention it in their reports.

Karácsony and the left-wing opposition parties accused Vitézy of being a “hidden” candidate for Fidesz, citing his former roles and family connections within Orbán’s governments.

[13] Karácsony and his supporting opposition parties claimed this was the “end of Orbán’s ploy,” arguing that Vitézy was the real Fidesz candidate, his supposed independence designed to confuse and divide anti-government voters.

Using the slogan “Budapest needs change,” she sought to demonstrate Karácsony’s incompetence through numerous TikTok videos, though she did not publish her own program or vision.

Pro-government media unanimously supported Vitézy’s mayoral bid while endorsing the Fidesz–KDNP list in the simultaneous General Assembly election.

Grundtner also highlighted concerns about public safety, alleging that “no-go tram routes” exist in the city, and noted the demographic decline of Hungarians, who are moving to the suburbs or abroad, while immigration, primarily from the Third World, has increased in recent years.

Additionally, he attributed the rising real estate prices to demand from Airbnb, university students, and residential park developments for investment purposes, advocating for immediate intervention.

[36] Following Szentkirályi’s withdrawal (see above), Grundtner argued that Our Homeland “remains the only force offering a path forward for the nationally committed, tradition-loving population of the capital.” He characterized both Karácsony and Vitézy as part of a “downtown progressive-liberal elitist club” aiming to “drown Budapest in a multicultural swamp”.

At 3:00 am, Gergely Karácsony claimed victory at City Hall, thanking Budapest for choosing to remain a “republic” instead of a “company” under Fidesz leadership.

[49] Later that morning, a far-right outlet, Kuruc.info, released a recording in which Karácsony allegedly threatened Vitézy with “blackmail” and expressed a desire to “beat him with a shovel”.

Vitézy argued this contributed to the unusually high invalid vote count, which exceeded his margin of loss by a significant factor.

Suggested causes included a deliberate choice to use a faint line to cross out Szentkirályi’s name, making it easily overlooked, along with misunderstandings of electoral law by voting supervisors.

However, in over 200 polling stations across the remaining 20 districts, irregularities emerged, which were legally documented by voters, election committee members, or observers.

[52] At 3:30 pm on 12 une, Vitézy filed official documents with the Capital Electoral Office to appeal the outcome, requesting a full recount of all invalid votes across Budapest.

[55] Karácsony announced his intention to appeal the decision to the Curia (Hungary's Supreme Court), arguing that procedural irregularities warranted a new election.