Gábor Vona
Encyclopedia
Gábor Vona is a Hungarian
politician and the leader of the Hungarian nationalist
political party Jobbik. He was born on 20 August 1978 in Gyöngyös
. He studied history and psychology at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest
.
According to Vona's biography, the family's name was originally Vona but Gábor's grandfather, also called Gábor, died in World War II in Russia and his grandmother got married to a Zázrivecz who adopted Gábor's father. So, allegedly, he took back his rightful name. The name changed occurred when he was in college.
He worked as a teacher for a short period of time. He lives in Óbuda
with his wife and with his first child Benedek. His parents are pensioners. Vona was a founding member of Jobbik, first becoming deputy chairman, he was then elected as party leader in 2006.
In 2009 Vona repeatedly called for a change of government and for Hungary's ruling politicians to be "held to account", referring to among others, Ferenc Gyurcsány
and Gordon Bajnai
. He considers himself an "EU realist" arguing that the EU should take a new direction increasing the role of nations. Vona argues that the national police should be greatly strengthened and supports introducing an American style "three strikes law
".
He was the Jobbik's candidate for the position of Prime Minister of Hungary on the 2010 Hungarian parliamentary election
. In a press conference Vona said it will be not a simple election, rather the people will vote on the past sixty years, and that the destiny of Hungary must be given back to Hungarians, rather than Hungarians being second-class citizen
s in their own country.
After the elections the party's congress elected him to the leader of the Jobbik parliamentary group. Vona became a member of the parliamentarian Committee of Agriculture, and its sub-committees', the Sub-Committee of Viticulture and Winery and the Sub-Committee of Renewal Resources.
(Hungarian Guard). The organization was disbanded by the Metropolitan Court of Budapest (Fővárosi Bíróság) 16 December 2008 on the grounds that the activities of the organization "were against the human rights of minorities as guaranteed by the Hungarian Constitution".
At a rally before the 2010 election, Vona insisted that, if elected, he would wear a Gárda uniform to first day of parliament. Vona, to much controversy, followed up at the opening session of the new Hungarian parliament on 14 May 2010, wearing a white shirt and a black vest from the banned uniform of the organization. Outgoing Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai
called on the Justice Minister Imre Forgács
to file a procedure against Vona. Vona said that if the vest was illegal he would see it as an act of civil disobedience, and was willing to face the consequences.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
politician and the leader of the Hungarian nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
political party Jobbik. He was born on 20 August 1978 in Gyöngyös
Gyöngyös
Gyöngyös is a city in Heves county in Hungary, east of Budapest. Situated at the foot of the Sár-hegy and Mátra mountains, it is the home of numerous food production plants, including milk production and sausage factories...
. He studied history and psychology at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
According to Vona's biography, the family's name was originally Vona but Gábor's grandfather, also called Gábor, died in World War II in Russia and his grandmother got married to a Zázrivecz who adopted Gábor's father. So, allegedly, he took back his rightful name. The name changed occurred when he was in college.
He worked as a teacher for a short period of time. He lives in Óbuda
Óbuda
Óbuda was a historical city in Hungary. United with Buda and Pest in 1873 it now forms part of District III-Óbuda-Békásmegyer of Budapest. The name means Old Buda in Hungarian...
with his wife and with his first child Benedek. His parents are pensioners. Vona was a founding member of Jobbik, first becoming deputy chairman, he was then elected as party leader in 2006.
In 2009 Vona repeatedly called for a change of government and for Hungary's ruling politicians to be "held to account", referring to among others, Ferenc Gyurcsány
Ferenc Gyurcsány
Ferenc Gyurcsány is a Hungarian politician. He was the sixth Prime Minister of Hungary from 2004 to 2009.He was nominated to take that position on 25 August 2004 by the Hungarian Socialist Party , after Péter Medgyessy resigned due to a conflict with the Socialist Party's coalition partner...
and Gordon Bajnai
Gordon Bajnai
György Gordon Bajnai was the seventh Prime Minister of Hungary from 2009 to 2010. In March 2009, following Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's announced resignation, Bajnai was nominated by the ruling MSZP party to become Hungary's next prime minister...
. He considers himself an "EU realist" arguing that the EU should take a new direction increasing the role of nations. Vona argues that the national police should be greatly strengthened and supports introducing an American style "three strikes law
Three strikes law
Three strikes laws)"are statutes enacted by state governments in the United States which require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. These statutes became...
".
He was the Jobbik's candidate for the position of Prime Minister of Hungary on the 2010 Hungarian parliamentary election
Hungarian parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Hungary on 11 and 25 April 2010 to choose MPs for the National Assembly. They were the sixth free elections since the end of communist era. The 386 members of parliament were elected in a combined system of party lists and electoral constituencies...
. In a press conference Vona said it will be not a simple election, rather the people will vote on the past sixty years, and that the destiny of Hungary must be given back to Hungarians, rather than Hungarians being second-class citizen
Second-class citizen
Second-class citizen is an informal term used to describe a person who is systematically discriminated against within a state or other political jurisdiction, despite their nominal status as a citizen or legal resident there...
s in their own country.
After the elections the party's congress elected him to the leader of the Jobbik parliamentary group. Vona became a member of the parliamentarian Committee of Agriculture, and its sub-committees', the Sub-Committee of Viticulture and Winery and the Sub-Committee of Renewal Resources.
Magyar Gárda
In June 2007, Vona founded the radical nationalist Magyar GárdaMagyar Gárda
Magyar Gárda Mozgalom founded by Magyar Gárda Hagyományőrző és Kulturális Egyesület was a nationalist organization in Hungary related to the Jobbik party...
(Hungarian Guard). The organization was disbanded by the Metropolitan Court of Budapest (Fővárosi Bíróság) 16 December 2008 on the grounds that the activities of the organization "were against the human rights of minorities as guaranteed by the Hungarian Constitution".
At a rally before the 2010 election, Vona insisted that, if elected, he would wear a Gárda uniform to first day of parliament. Vona, to much controversy, followed up at the opening session of the new Hungarian parliament on 14 May 2010, wearing a white shirt and a black vest from the banned uniform of the organization. Outgoing Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai
Gordon Bajnai
György Gordon Bajnai was the seventh Prime Minister of Hungary from 2009 to 2010. In March 2009, following Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's announced resignation, Bajnai was nominated by the ruling MSZP party to become Hungary's next prime minister...
called on the Justice Minister Imre Forgács
Imre Forgács
Imre Forgács is a Hungarian politician and jurist, who served as Minister of Justice and Law Enforcement between 2009 and 2010.-Publications:* Neokonzervatív fordulat az Egyesült Államokban...
to file a procedure against Vona. Vona said that if the vest was illegal he would see it as an act of civil disobedience, and was willing to face the consequences.