Hungarian opposition parties under fire for backing politician with history of antisemitic statements

Several Jewish leaders in Hungary have criticised Laszlo Bíró, a joint candidate of the opposition parties, for his past antisemitic remarks.

Mr Bíró, a member of the Jobbik Party, has apologised after accusations were made surrounding multiple antisemitic and racist comments he is alleged to have made.

In an earlier letter sent to several parliamentary groups, Hungarian MEPs Tamas Deutsch and József Szájer highlighted the worrying decision by Hungarian opposition parties to support a candidate with such accusations.

Deutsch and Szájer wrote: “Mr Bíró has made several racist, xenophobia, antisemitic and anti-Roma comments on social media. For example, among these, he has referred to Budapest as ‘Judapest’ and on another occasion complained that there were too many foreign Jews among the guests at spa hotels in his constituency.”

Chief Rabbi Tamas Rona has argued that politicians with a great influence upon public opinion are obliged to consider their words and take responsibility for their conduct in the political sphere. The Rabbi maintains there is no place in the legislature for politicians who use offensive language and hold such prejudices.

Mr Bíró is running as an individual candidate in the 11th October Borsod County by-election as a joint candidate of several opposition parties, including the major left-wing parties.

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