Tamás Sneider, leader of nationalist opposition Jobbik, on Thursday said he will not seek re-election as his party’s leader at its upcoming congress.
Addressing a press conference, Sneider said that regardless of his decision, he would continue to “fight firmly to enforce Jobbik’s policies”.
Sneider said he had taken over Jobbik’s leadership during the party’s most difficult period. During his time as party chief, the leadership launched a series of reforms, he said, adding however that someone else should lead Jobbik in the run-up to the 2022 general election.
In response to a question from MTI, Sneider said group leader Péter Jakab, who is running for the leadership role, was “perfectly qualified to complete the task of creating a very strong Jobbik by 2022”. The party could then work together with other political forces in “ousting [Prime Minister Viktor] Orbán’s corrupt system”, he added.
He welcomed that in Sunday’s local elections Jobbik had doubled its vote tally compared with the European Parliament elections. Sneider noted that Jobbik received around 11 percent of the vote in counties where it contested the election alone.
Jobbik’s congress is scheduled to take place on Nov. 9.
Featured photo illustration by Márton Mónus/MTI