Ferenc Gyurcsány
Prime Minister of Hungary from 2004 to 2009 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ferenc Gyurcsány (born 4 June 1961) is a Hungarian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Hungary from 2004 to 2009. He is a member of the Hungarian Socialist Party and was elected to parliament in 2002.
Ferenc Gyúrcsány | |
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Prime Minister of Hungary 6th Prime Minister of the Third Republic of Hungary | |
In office 29 September 2004 – 14 April 2009 | |
President | |
Preceded by | Péter Medgyessy |
Succeeded by | Gordon Bajnai |
Personal details | |
Born | (1961-06-04) 4 June 1961 (age 63) Pápa, Hungary |
Political party | MSZMP (1980-1989) MSZP (2000-2011) DK (2011-) |
Spouse(s) | Klára Dobrev |
Gyurcsány was born on June 4, 1961, in Pápa, Hungary. He studied economics at the Budapest University of Economics and later earned a PhD in the same field from the University of Pécs.
Gyurcsány began his political career in the early 1990s, when he was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of a state-owned construction company. He later became involved in the leadership of the MSZP and was elected to parliament in 2002.
In 2004, Gyurcsány was elected as Prime Minister of Hungary after his party won a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections. His government pursued a program of economic and social reforms aimed at reducing Hungary's budget deficit and promoting growth.
Gyurcsány's government introduced a number of measures aimed at improving Hungary's fiscal position and stimulating economic growth. These measures included the introduction of a flat tax system, the privatization of state-owned enterprises, and the reform of the pension system.
Gyurcsány's government faced several challenges during its time in power, including a series of corruption scandals and accusations of economic mismanagement. In 2006, Gyurcsány was caught on tape admitting that his government had lied to the public about the state of Hungary's economy in the run-up to the 2006 elections.
The tape sparked widespread protests and calls for Gyurcsány's resignation. However, he refused to step down and instead called for a referendum on his government's economic policies. The referendum was unsuccessful, and Gyurcsány remained in power until 2009, when his party was defeated in the parliamentary elections.
Following his resignation as Prime Minister, Gyurcsány remained active in politics and founded a new political party, the Democratic Coalition, in 2011. The party has since become a prominent opposition force in Hungarian politics, advocating for progressive economic policies and democratic values.
Overall, Gyurcsány is a controversial figure in Hungarian politics, with some viewing him as a competent and committed leader, while others criticize him for his role in the economic and political turmoil that characterized his time as Prime Minister. Nonetheless, he remains an influential figure in the Hungarian political landscape and continues to advocate for reform and democratic values.