Radical Origins and Antisemitic Rhetoric
Initially, Jobbik advocated far-right, strongly nationalist, anti-immigration, anti-Roma, and antisemitic policies. The party gained strength after the events of 2006 and had achieved centrist status by 2009. From the second half of the 2010s, the leadership attempted to steer the party toward a more moderate, populist direction, but it failed to become a viable alternative to the ruling Fidesz. The strategic shift led to internal conflicts and the departure of several politicians, who founded the Mi Hazánk party in 2018.
Antisemitic rhetoric was particularly prominent in the early years, and although it persisted later on, from 2006 onward the party based its politics much more on anti-Roma sentiment.
“I believe that, in connection with a conflict of this kind, the time has come to assess how many people of Jewish origin living here – and particularly in the Hungarian Parliament and the Hungarian government – pose a certain national security risk to Hungary. I believe that we owe Hungary such an assessment.”
Márton Gyöngyösi
former MP of the Jobbik party
Further Reading / Sources
Jobbik-jelenség, A Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom térnyerésének okai
Róna Dániel (2016). Budapest: KUK Könyv és Kávé Kft
Látlelet 2009: Kutatási összefoglaló a hazai szélsőjobboldal megerősödésének okairól
Gimes, G., Juhász, A., Kiss, K., & Krekó, P. (2009). Budapest: Political Capital