PRIME MINISTERS OF HUNGARY

By: Benedict Gombocz

JÓZSEF ANTALL First democratically elected

Hungarian Prime Minister; served from 23 May 1990 until his death on 12 December 1993

Born 8 April 1932 in Budapest; died 12 December 1993 in Budapest

Leader of Hungarian Democratic Forum (Magyar Demokrata Fórum, MDF) from 1989 until 1993

Graduated from Budapest Piarist High School in 1950

Was interested in politics early on, but understandably enough, did not pursue his political career during the communist regime

Went on to study Hungarian language and literature at Eötvös Loránd University as well as history and archival science

PÉTER BOROSS Prime Minister of Hungary from

12 December 1993 until 15 July 1994

Born 27 August 1928 in Nagybajom

Came to power when previous PM József Antall died; held office until coalition was defeated in 1994 parliamentary election by Socialist Party candidate Gyula Horn, who led MSZP-SZDSZ coalition with his victory

Has served as political advisor to PM Viktor Orbán

Was MP for three years between 2006 and 2009; was long seen as supporter of MDF leader Ibolya Dávid

GYULA HORN Prime Minister of Hungary from 15 July

1994 until 8 July 1998

Born 5 July 1932 in Budapest; died 19 June 2013 in Budapest

Defeated Péter Boross in 1994 parliamentary election, leading MSZP into a significant victory and an increase in number of seats in the Parliament from 33 to 209 and a coalition with SZDSZ

Remembered as playing a major role in the dismantling of the Iron Curtain and for contributing to German reunification, and for Bokros package, the largest fiscal austerity programme in post-communist Hungary; it was launched under his tenure in 1995

Was denied the Magyar Köztársaság Érdemrendjének Polgári Tagozata prize by President László Sólyom, who refused to award it to him because Horn had not changed his views on the 1956 uprising

VIKTOR ORBÁN Prime Minister of Hungary from 8 July

1998 until 27 May 2002; is also current Prime Minister since 29 May 2010 and currently leader of Fidesz

Born 31 May 1963 in Székesfehérvár Won 1998 parliamentary election

against Gyula Horn and formed coalition with MDF

Lost 2002 parliamentary election against MSZP candidate Péter Medgyessy; was opposition candidate in 2006 parliamentary election, after which MSZP lost majority because their lying scam was unraveled even before

Led Fidesz to significant victory in 2010 parliamentary election, winning 52.73% of the votes and two-thirds majority in alliance with KDNP, placing Fidesz far ahead of MSZP and newcomers Jobbik and LMP, effectively ending eight years in opposition

PÉTER MEDGYESSY Prime Minister of Hungary from 27

May 2002 until 29 September 2004 Born 19 October 1942 in Budapest Won 2002 parliamentary election

against Viktor Orbán and continued coalition with SZDSZ

Resigned 25 August 2004 due to disputes with SZDSZ, but remained caretaker PM over 30-day period as per Constitution and a few extra days until Parliament confirmed his successor Ferenc Gyurcsány

Graduated from Corvinus University of Budapest (then Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences); graduated in 1966 and returned to earn his doctorate

Is fluent in French and Romanian and knowledgeable in English and Russian

FERENC GYURCSÁNY Prime Minister of Hungary from 29

September 2004 until 14 April 2009 Born 4 June 1961 in Pápa Became PM after Péter Medgyessy’s

resignation after being elected with 197 votes in favor and only 12 votes opposed, with majority of opposition in Parliament not voting

Led MSZP to victory in 2006 parliamentary election and won another term as PM

His ability to govern was questioned by opposition parties, in particular Fidesz, when he withheld information about the budget in his re-election campaign; it was revealed only a month after the elections of 2006 that he confessed his party had lied to win re-election, and had not done anything worth mentioning in their previous four years of ruling Parliament

Is criticised for using obscene and offensive language in his speeches; subsequently attempted to make this subject irrelevant

GORDON BAJNAI Prime Minister of Hungary from

14 April 2009 until 29 May 2010

Born 5 March 1968 in Szeged Elected PM with 204 votes in

favor with eight abstentions; remaining MPs declined to vote

Became PM when Parliament successfully passed vote of no confidence against Ferenc Gyurcsány, who resigned on 28 March, even though his resignation was not effective until 14 April

Chose not to run in 2010 parliamentary election; Attila Mesterházy became MSZP’s candidate for that election