Vona re-elected as Jobbik leader – Video, Pictures

Budapest, May 29 (MTI) – Gábor Vona was re-elected as the chairman of Jobbik at the party’s congress on Sunday.

Vona received 80.5 percent of the secret ballot vote and will embark on his sixth term as Jobbik’s leader. He told a press conference after the congress that his party had become a “national people’s party”.

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János Volner, Dániel Z Kárpát, László Toroczkai, Tamás Sneider, Erik Fülöp and Dávid Janiczak will serve as the party’s deputy leaders over the next two years.

Vona said that “starting tomorrow”, the party’s members will devote all their efforts to winning the 2018 general election.

He said Jobbik’s first task would be to “restore hope” to Hungarians and that regardless of what polls indicate, people want a new government. “The country is crying out for change,” he said.

The party leader said Jobbik would represent all age groups if it came to power and would reunite the country’s “divided society”.

Vona said it was too early to say if he would be Jobbik’s candidate for prime minister in 2018.

He said Jobbik “never betrayed its programme” and still considers itself a “national radical” party, but will aim to convince not just its own supporters, but the entire electorate that its programme is the right one for Hungary.

Earlier at the congress, Vona announced that he would be stepping down as Jobbik’s parliamentary group leader and nominated János Volner for the position. Volner is expected to fill the position from parliament’s autumn session.

Party spokesman Ádám Mirkóczki said the majority of the congress delegates were taken by surprise by the decision. He said the reason behind Vona’s resignation as group leader was that he wants to improve the efficiency of his work as party leader.

Mirkóczki said the party leader announced other changes as well such as his intention to delegate far more duties and responsibilities to “lower levels”. The next phase in the party’s life will be one of “professionalisation”, Vona said, adding that Jobbik will start the next two years with a new structure from September.

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In his speech given at the party congress held behind closed doors and published by N1 TV, Vona highlighted the need for change and set the goal of developing into a people’s party capable of governing.

Video in Hungarian: