Jobbik
The Jobbik – Conservatives (Hungarian: Jobbik – Konzervatívok, prior to 2023: Movement for a Better Hungary, Hungarian: Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom), commonly known as Jobbik (Hungarian: [ˈjobːik]), is a conservative political party in Hungary.
Jobbik – Conservatives Jobbik – Konzervatívok | |
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President | Márton Gyöngyösi |
Deputy President | Anita Potocskáné Kőrösi |
Vice Presidents |
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Chairman of the Board | Gábor Szabó |
Parliamentary leader | László György Lukács |
Founded | 24 October 2003 |
Headquarters | 1034 Budapest, Bécsi út 120. |
Newspaper | Hazai Pálya |
Youth wing | Jobbik Young Section |
Paramilitary wing | Magyar Gárda (2007–2009) |
Membership (2019) | 13,000 |
Ideology |
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Political position | Centre-right to right-wing Historical (2003–2018): Far-right |
National affiliation | United for Hungary (2020–2023) |
European affiliation | ECPM Alliance of European National Movements (2009–2016) |
European Parliament group | Non-Inscrits |
Colours | Turquoise |
Slogan | A Magyar Néppárt (transl. The Hungarian People's Party) |
National Assembly | 8 / 199 |
European Parliament | 1 / 21 |
County Assemblies | 40 / 381 |
General Assembly of Budapest | 0 / 33 |
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Originating with radical and nationalist roots, at its beginnings, the party described itself as "a principled, conservative and radically patriotic Christian party", whose "fundamental purpose" is the protection of "Hungarian values and interests." In 2014, the party was described as an "anti-Semitic organization" by The Independent and a "neo-Nazi party" by the president of the European Jewish Congress. From 2015 to 2020, the party started to re-define itself as a more moderate conservative people's party and changed the controversial elements of its communication, culminating with its new declaration of principles now defining itself as a centre-right, pro-European party with some residual moderated nationalist tendencies (the position previously occupied by Fidesz). According to the party's "Declaration of Principles", Jobbik will "always focus on the interests of Hungary and the Hungarian people instead of a political group or an ideology. On the other hand, [Jobbik] reject[s] hatemongering and extreme political views that are contrary to Christian values and ethics." However, the foreign media has remained sceptical about the efficiency of the ideological change with voices claiming the change to be comparable to "a wolf in sheep's clothing".
After the Hungarian parliamentary elections on 8 April 2018, the party polled 1,092,806 votes, securing 19.06% of the total, making it Hungary's second-largest party in the National Assembly.