Klára Dobrev (born Klara Petrova Dobreva, Bulgarian: Клара Петрова Добрева; on 2 February 1972) is a Hungarian left-wing[1] politician who served as Vice-President of the European Parliament between July 2019 and January 2022.
Klára Dobrev | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait (2021) | |
| Member of the European Parliament for Hungary | |
| Assumed office 2 July 2019 | |
| Vice-President of the European Parliament | |
| In office 2 July 2019 – 18 January 2022 Serving with See List | |
| President | David Sassoli Roberta Metsola |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Klara Petrova Dobreva 2 February 1972 Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Political party | DK (2011–present) |
| Other political affiliations | MSZP (1994–2011) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Antal Apró (grandfather) |
| Education | Budapest University of Economics Eötvös Loránd University |
Early life and education
editDobrev was born in Sofia, Bulgaria to a Hungarian Jewish mother, Piroska Apró, and a Bulgarian father, Petar Dobrev. Her maternal grandfather, Antal Apró, a communist politician, served as Minister of Industry in the Hungarian People's Republic in the 1950s–60s.[2][3]
Dobrev holds a degree in economics from the Budapest University of Economics, and a law degree from Faculty of Law of the Eötvös Loránd University. During her years at the University of Economics she was a member of AIESEC, and at the organization's 1992 world conference she was the animator board's vice president responsible for public relations. Dobrev spent her internship at Modi Xerox (now called Xerox India) as a marketing assistant in Bangalore, India.[4]
Career
editDobrev has held several government positions in the past, including Chief Cabinet to Péter Medgyessy during the 2002 parliamentary election, and vice-president of the Office for the National Development Plan and EU Support, where she served from 2002 until her husband's nomination for prime minister in 2004, when she resigned.[5]
Dobrev is a senior lecturer at Eötvös Loránd University. She is chairperson of the Hungarian section of the UN Women.[6] Dobrev became CEO of Altus Ltd. in 2009, a development consultant company, owned by her husband.[7]
In 2019, Dobrev re-entered politics, as the lead candidate of the Democratic Coalition's European Parliament list for the 2019 election. With a stunning and surprising,[8][9][10] 16.05% result for her party, better than all the surveys predicted, she was elected a Member of the European Parliament.[11] Dobrev was elected a Vice-President of the European Parliament on 3 July 2019.[12]
In October 2021, Dobrev stated that she was the frontrunner in the primary election of the coalition meant to run united against Viktor Orbán in the 2022 parliamentary election.[13] Dobrev gained 34% of the votes in the first round in September 2021, running as the candidate of the Democratic Coalition and the Hungarian Liberal Party.[14] In the second round held in October, she received 43% of the votes and was consequently defeated by Péter Márki-Zay of the Everybody's Hungary Movement, who gained 57%.[15]
Other activities
edit- European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Member (since 2021)[16]
Personal life
editDobrev is married to Ferenc Gyurcsány, Prime Minister of Hungary between 2004 and 2009.
Recognition
editShe was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2013.[17]
References
edit- ^ Kőműves, Anita (30 September 2021). "Left-winger aims to become Hungary's first female prime minister". Reuters. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ "Opposition parties to begin PM candidate primaries - BBJ". BBJ.hu. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ Lendvai, Paul (16 December 2010). One Day That Shook the Communist World: The 1956 Hungarian Uprising and Its Legacy. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1-4008-3764-9.
- ^ Zrt, HVG Kiadó (1 September 2005). "Interview with Klára Dobrev". hvg.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ Komuves, Anita (30 September 2021). "Left-winger aims to become Hungary's first female prime minister". Reuters. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ^ "UN Women National Committees | U.S. National Committee for UN Women". www.unwomen-usnc.org. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
- ^ Dobrev Klára lesz az Altus vezérigazgatója - Origó, 2009.10.01.
- ^ "2019 European Elections: Record-high turnout in Hungary". index.hu. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Megszületett a végeredmény - nagy meglepetések az EP-választáson". Portfolio.hu. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "A Fidesz diadalát és ellenzékváltó hangulatot hozott az EP-választás". 24.hu (in Hungarian). 27 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "2019". Nemzeti Választási Iroda (in Hungarian). Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- ^ "Dobrev és Járóka az Európai Parlament alelnökei lettek". Index.hu. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Anti-Orbán voters tussle over best candidate: A rising conservative or divisive liberal". POLITICO. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ Márton Sándor Németh (1 October 2021). "Itt az előválasztás első fordulójának végeredménye, mutatjuk a legfontosabb számokat". index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ "Az előválasztás eredményei" [Results of the primary election]. elovalasztas2021.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ Members European Council on Foreign Relations.
- ^ "100 Women: Who took part?". BBC News. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
Sources
edit- "A Glimpse into Hungary" (PDF) Ministry of Economy and Transport for the Republic of Hungary, August 2005, retrieved 23 November 2005.
- "Interview with Klára Dobrev" by András Lindner and Zoltán Horváth, 1 September 2005, retrieved 23 November 2005.
- Edit Kéri: Kik lőttek a Kossuth téren 56-ban? ISBN 9630619830