(ANSA) - BUDAPEST - A war has erupted within Hungary's far-right Jobbik party, which aspires to win the next general election in 2018: the leader Gabor Vona has ousted three deputy presidents deemed to be ''too radical'', and appointed in their place some mayors elected in the party's lists.

Among them is Laszlo Toroczkai, the mayor of Asotthalom (southern Hungary), main supporter of the wall at the border against migrants. ''They have gained experience in local administrative management, and we need this to become the ruling party'', Vona said, referring to those who has been appointed.

Hungarian media talk about the struggle between radicals and popular nationalists. Vona has changed his strategy, aiming to turn Jobbik into a popular moderate party, in order to defeat the ruling party Fidesz, led by Viktor Orban, ''neck deep in corruption''.

According to some analysts, however, Vona thus risks losing a large portion of his racist and anti-Semitic electorate. Jobbik won 20% of the vote in 2014 and is the second largest party, according to some polls.