Jobbik forms group for next parliament – UPDATE

The strongest opposition party, Jobbik has set up its parliamentary group and elected Márton Gyongyösi as its group leader at a meeting on Thursday.

Jobbik came in second in the April 8 general election, winning 26 seats in Hungary’s new 199-member parliament to be formed next week.

The two general deputy group leaders will be János Volner and Gergely Farkas, Ádám Mirkóczki told reporters after the meeting in Rácalmás, in central Hungary.

Photo: MTI

The party will nominate its deputy leader Támas Sneider for the post of deputy speaker of parliament, Mirkóczki said.

Gyöngyösi said the party will nominate Mirkóczki for the post of chairman of parliament’s national security committee.

UPDATE

Mirkóczki said outgoing party leader Gábor Vona would not take up his seat. Dávid Janiczak, mayor of Ózd in north-eastern Hungary, will take up his seat and return it within 30 days due to the rule that prevents MPs from holding another official position.

Asked about Jobbik plans to dismantle the metal fence to be erected around parliament for the May 8 inaugural session, Mirkóczki said it would “send the wrong message” were the government — with its strong mandate after the election — to “stop people from gathering to express their well-founded criticisms”.

He said Jobbik, “as a constructive opposition party”, would seek to reinforce its mandate as a people’s party and “embrace society’s poor and those thinking about emigrating.”

As we wrote last week, Hungary’s parliamentary parties have agreed that the new parliament convened for May 8 will have 15 committees just as the outgoing legislation had. Read more HERE.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI