I’m sure most people who live in Hungary have noticed the election campaign recently; it’s been kind of hard to miss.
Millions of words have been written about the dirty tactics, etc, but nobody seems to have mentioned the fact that several of the Socialist’s younger candidates appear to be wearing far too much make-up in their posters.
I’ve noticed at least three different candidates who look as if they’re auditioning for a part in a panto. Yesterday I saw a poster of a man who was definitely wearing bright red lipstick. On top of that, you can see the foundation, blusher, eyeliner and plucked eyebrows.
My favourite has to be one young gent who appears to have modelled his poster on old portraits of the England’s most-famous camp writer – Oscar Wilde. He is blatantly caked in make-up and is sporting an arch, come-and-get-it-boys expression. I haven’t seen his campaign promises, but they probably involve compulsory cravates, more men-only days at the baths and cross-dressing days for government employees. Definitely as camp as row of tents.
Still, at least he’s making an effort, which is more than can be said for some of the others. One of the older Socialist candidates initially appeared with a shock of uncombed white hair and a big smile full of the yellowest teeth I have ever seen in my life. This quickly got pulled down and replaced with a closed mouth smile. And then there is Mr Soos, my local Democratic Forum candidate. They had to make the poster extra wide to fit in his enormous ears and giant NHS-style specs. He looks like his blind mother cuts his hair.