International News: Jobbik Advance Continues

 

 

 

 Jobbik, the Hungarian member of the Alliance of European National Movements, now has 311 deputies in the local councils, 61 deputies in the county councils and three town mayors following elections in that country, reports Chris Beverley, personal assistant to Andrew Brons MEP.

Announcing the news on his blog, Mr Beverley said that Jobbik now had mayors elected in the towns of Tiszavasvári, Hencida and Hegyháthodász.

Jobbik, known as “the Movement for a Better Hungary,” has established itself nationwide at local municipal government levels, after entering into the National Parliament for the first time in April 2010, Mr Beverly wrote.

“Jobbik achieved outstanding results even in Budapest, normally considered a heaven of liberalism and where socialist-liberal councils were elected for the past 20 years,” he said.

Jobbik also has 3 deputies in the Budapest Chamber and deputies in all but one of the districts in the capital city. Party chairman Gabor Vona said that Jobbik’s rise was unstoppable.  

 “The scale of the gains made by Jobbik in these elections is immense,” Mr Beverley said.

“Before the elections, Jobbik had only a handful of local councillors. They didn't have a single county councillor and certainly did not have any mayors.

“The surge in support for Jobbik that was in evidence in the recent General Election in April has clearly continued, as seen by their local council representation rising from a handful to over 300 and the election of 61 county councillors and three mayors, not to mention the election of three deputies to the Budapest assembly, which are in addition to the local seats won,” Mr Beverley continued.

“The three successfully elected Jobbik mayors gained between 53% and 70% of the vote in their respective towns.

“It is always heartening to see our friends in Europe doing well and it is great to see that Jobbik continues to make real electoral progress,” he added.

* Jobbik's party political broadcast is well worth a watch. It is only 30 seconds long and has English subtitles. This broadcast was banned by Hungarian state television and radio but was eventually broadcast following successful legal action taken by the party. Watch it below.