Wilfried Martens said that Europe had to grow in strength, speaking with one voice on strategic questions. Energy policy was one such area, he said. He said Hungary had to commit itself to a common energy policy. He emphasized that Fidesz was committed to a joint energy policy, but said the government coalition's parties had to show a similar commitment.

Martens said Vladimir Putin's energy policy is unacceptable. Putin was using energy policy as a "weapon" against the EU. He also spoke about human rights, saying double standards were also unacceptable. In Europe, he said, a social market guarantees social security, and this model had to find a home in Hungary too.
Viktor Orban and his friends, "who had defeated communism," were like a new wind from the East. Addressing Orban, Martens said: "We need you to get back into power." These words were followed by enthusiastic applause, whistles and chants of "Viktor, Viktor!"

Afterwards, the candidates for vice-president gave their hustings speeches. The candidates are Lajos Kosa, mayor of Debrecen, Ildiko Pelczne Gall, Zoltan Pokorni and Mihaly Varga. Pal Schmitt, who was earlier planning to run for re-election as vice-president, has withdrawn from the race. Viktor Orban is the sole candidate for party president.

Lajos Kosa gave a dynamic, entertaining speech accusing the government of incompetence. He mentioned a lack of leadership during the 20 August storm, food hygiene scandals and police violence on 23 October. "Social mobility has ground to a halt - soon you'll need contacts to get a place in nursery," he said. "We are an operatic country, a socialist democracy, a country without consequences, a country of complete loss, living in a virulent post-Kadar era," the mayor of Debrecen added. "We have to come up with a free-thinking programme," he concluded, before leaving the stage to loud and prolonged applause. Ildiko Pelczne Gall's speech was less memorable: she spoke primarily about the role of women in society, while harshly criticizing Ferenc Gyurcsany, the prime minister.

Zoltan Pokorni's speech had a more pedagogical character. In it, he described the differences between "us and them". "The point is, what do we want, and what are they doing," he said. He said the government parties' work had lost all "sobriety". The government's ideology was one of dogmatic ultra-liberalism and nihilism, he said, adding that they were dismantling a living community in the name of modernity. "We don't want the state's fundamental responsibilities to be neglected," he said, arguing that for the governing coalition health and education were just a burden. "We are not anti-market, but the market is not everything," said Pokorni, rushing back to the centre and calling for a sense of proportionality in politics. He forecast that undoing the "chaos" created by Gyurcsany's government would take much work.

Mihaly Varga spoke last, saying: "It is terrifying to see that we can always go even lower. Even the countries of the Caucasus are overtaking us economically and politically," he said. "This isn't convergence, it's divergence," Varga said. He listed the same complaints as Lajos Kosa - 20 August, police scandals - while coming up with the alliterative formula: "Chaotic government without consequences." He added, however, that "we Hungarians are able to get out of the most difficult situations. We've survived Tatars and Turks, so we 'll survive this government." Loud applause.

Then came the vote and Peter Szijjarto's announcement of justice and police minister Jozsef Petretei's departure - which was welcomed by the delegates.