Budapest – The leader of Hungary’s Jobbik party says there is no way back to its far-right identity, including frequent anti-Semitic and racist remarks by its politicians.
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Gabor Vona tells The Associated Press that his priorities in government would be to get rid of corruption and restore democratic checks and balances.
Jobbik is the strongest opposition group but far behind Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party in the polls ahead of April’s election.
While Vona is trying to push Jobbik in a more centrist direction and become a “people’s party” to attract more voters, his efforts have achieved only measured success. His Hanukkah greetings to Jewish communities in Hungary, for example, have been mostly rebuffed or ignored.
Jobbik is also facing a huge fine by state auditors for alleged illegal party financing.