Péter Medgyessy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Péter Medgyessy
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Medgyessy in 2024
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| Prime Minister of Hungary | |
| In office 27 May 2002 – 29 September 2004 |
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| President | Ferenc Mádl |
| Preceded by | Viktor Orbán |
| Succeeded by | Ferenc Gyurcsány |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 15 May 2002 – 15 May 2006 |
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| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 1 March 1996 – 8 July 1998 |
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| Prime Minister | Gyula Horn |
| Preceded by | Lajos Bokros |
| Succeeded by | Zsigmond Járai |
| In office 30 December 1986 – 16 December 1987 |
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| Prime Minister | György Lázár Károly Grósz |
| Preceded by | István Hetényi |
| Succeeded by | Miklós Villányi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 October 1942 Budapest, Hungary |
| Political party | MSZMP (until 1989) Independent (1989–present) |
| Spouse | Katalin Csaplár |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Economist |
| Website | www.medgyessy.hu |
Péter Medgyessy (born 19 October 1942) is a Hungarian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Hungary. He held this important role from May 2002 to September 2004. He later resigned due to disagreements with his political partners. After his resignation, he remained as acting prime minister for a short time. His successor, Ferenc Gyurcsány, then took over the position.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Family Background
Péter Medgyessy was born in Budapest, Hungary, on 19 October 1942. His family had a long history in the region of Transylvania. His father, Béla Medgyessy, worked for the government in Cluj. When parts of Transylvania became part of Hungary again, his family moved to Budapest. His mother, Ibolya Szolga, worked as an interpreter.
Studies and Languages
Medgyessy studied economics at the Corvinus University of Budapest. He earned his degree in 1966 and later received his doctorate. He is very good at languages. He speaks French and Romanian fluently. He also knows English and Russian.
Personal Life
Péter Medgyessy is married to Katalin Csaplár. He has a daughter and a son from a previous marriage. His adopted child, Anita Tornóczky, is a well-known TV presenter in Hungary.
Political Journey
Starting in Government
From 1966 to 1982, Medgyessy worked in various important roles at the Ministry of Finance. In 1982, he became the Deputy Minister of Finance. Then, in 1987, he became the Minister of Finance. In this role, he helped create a new banking system in Hungary. He also worked on reforms for the country's financial system.
Between 1987 and 1990, Medgyessy served as Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. He helped introduce a new tax system that was more like those in capitalist countries. After the communist party dissolved in 1989, he chose not to join the new Socialist Party.
Work in Banking
After the end of communism in Hungary, Medgyessy took a break from politics. From 1990 to 1996, he worked as a leader for several Hungarian banks. These included Paribas Bank Inc. and the Hungarian Investment and Development Bank.
Return to Public Service
In 1996, he returned to government as the Minister of Finance. He took over from Lajos Bokros. After his term ended, he became a chairman at Inter-Europa Bank. He also taught at the College of Finance and Accountancy for 15 years. He was also the president of the Hungarian Economic Association.
Medgyessy has received several important awards. These include the Commander's Cross with a Star of the Hungarian Order of Merit in 1998. He also received the French Legion of Honour in 2000.
Becoming Prime Minister
In June 2001, the Hungarian Socialist Party chose Péter Medgyessy as their candidate for prime minister. The party won the 2002 elections by a small margin. On 27 May 2002, the Hungarian Parliament officially elected Medgyessy as the new Prime Minister of Hungary.
Controversy and Support
Soon after he became prime minister, a newspaper reported that Medgyessy had worked as a secret agent before 1989. He admitted this was true. He explained that his work involved helping Hungary join the International Monetary Fund. This was a big deal and caused a lot of discussion in the country. Even though some people wanted him to step down, his political partners decided to let him stay in office.
Government Programs
One of Medgyessy's main promises was to improve the welfare system. His government launched a "100-day action program." This program increased wages for public employees by 50%. It also gave a special payment to pensioners. Academic scholarships and lower pensions were also increased. These actions cost a lot of money, but they were very popular at the time. His government later launched a second 100-day program.
Joining the European Union
Under Medgyessy's leadership, Hungary held a referendum on 12 April 2003. This vote was to decide if Hungary should join the European Union. Most political parties, trade unions, businesses, and media supported joining. The people voted yes, and Hungary became a member of the EU.
Resignation
In early 2004, Medgyessy suggested a joint list for the European Parliament election. This idea was not accepted by other parties. In the July 2004 elections, his party lost significantly to Fidesz. After this, Medgyessy started to lose support from his political allies.
Before his resignation, he had disagreements with his coalition partner, the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ). He accused them of being involved in corruption. The SZDSZ then withdrew their support for him. To avoid a vote of no confidence, Medgyessy announced his resignation. He officially stepped down as prime minister in August 2004.
Life After Being Prime Minister
After resigning, Péter Medgyessy continued to serve as a Member of Parliament. He worked as a special ambassador to help Hungary succeed in international groups like the European Union. He did not run for Parliament in the 2006 elections.
In 2014, he was interviewed about his time as prime minister. He said he regretted not telling people about his past as a secret agent before the 2002 elections.
Awards and Honors
Péter Medgyessy has received many awards from different countries:
- In 1998, he received the Commander's Cross with a Star of the Hungarian Order of Merit.
- In 2000, he received the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.
- In 2002, he received the Grand Cross of the Belgian Order of the Crown. He also received the Gold and Silver Star of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun.
- In 2003, he received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Merit of Chile and the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
- In 2004, he became a Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honour. He also received the German Federal Cross of Merit.
Images for kids
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Medgyessy in 2024
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Medgyessy and Péter Bacsó in 1994
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Medgyessy and SZDSZ leader Gábor Kuncze, 3 October 2001
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Medgyessy with President of Poland Aleksander Kwaśniewski, 20 July 2004.
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Medgyessy with U.S. President George W. Bush on 15 July 2004
See also
In Spanish: Péter Medgyessy para niños
