Katalin Szili
Encyclopedia
Katalin Szili was the Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, a post to which she was elected on May 15, 2002. After obtaining a degree in law at Janus Pannonius University, she completed majors in human ecology
and political science
. She has been a legislator since 1994. Between 1994 and 1998 she was the political secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Water.
She was the candidate of the Hungarian Socialist Party
for presidency in the 2005 Hungarian
presidential elections. Szili lost the election on June 7, 2005 to opposition nominee László Sólyom
. The Hungarian Constitution
prescribes that the President must be elected by the National Assembly of Hungary
, thus the victory of the opposition came as something of a surprise. The junior coalition party, the Alliance of Free Democrats
(SZDSZ), however, had long emphasized that it would not vote for a partisan President. Szili as a high ranking a member of the Socialist party was considered partisan, the SZDSZ abstained, enabling the more neutral candidate Sólyom (who was originally nominated by an NGO
Védegylet and later supported by the opposition), to win the office. Another reason for the failed nomination was that SZDSZ was not consulted ahead of time and Szili lacked qualifications compared to Sólyom who previously held high office as the president of the Constitutional Court of Hungary
.
In 2009 Szili was the mayoral candidate of MSZP for the mayor of a major Hungarian city, Pécs
. She lost the election to Zsolt Páva.
She became to be considered inner opposition inside the MSZP since 2009. In 2009 Szili resigned from her position as speaker of Parliament, She was succeeded by Béla Katona
of MSZP. She formed the Movement of Alliance for the Future in 2010 and had own candidates in some areas in the 2010 Hungarian parliamentary election
. Szili was elected to the Parliament of Hungary via the Baranya County Party list where she was chairperson of the local MSZP chapter. After the 2010 local elections, held on the 3rd of October, she founded the Social Union
and became its first chairperson. As a result, she quit the Hungarian Socialist Party
and their parliamentarian group. Continuing the parliamentarian work as formally independent MP. However as an elected parliamentarian she is serving a four year term ending in 2014. Thus the new party Social Union instantly has some representation in Parliament, which is usually not possible for parties having won less than 5% of votes.
In 2011, Szili became member of the Nemzeti Konzultációs Testület (National Consultative body) preparing the new
constitution. Later, she presented her own proposal.
Human ecology
Human ecology is the subdiscipline of ecology that focuses on humans. More broadly, it is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of the relationship between humans and their natural, social, and built environments. The term 'human ecology' first appeared in a sociological study in 1921...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. She has been a legislator since 1994. Between 1994 and 1998 she was the political secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Water.
She was the candidate of the Hungarian Socialist Party
Hungarian Socialist Party
The Hungarian Socialist Party describes itself as a social democratic party in Hungary. It is the partial successor of the communist Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party , which ruled Hungary between 1956 and 1989. The decision to declare the party a successor of the MSZMP was controversial, and...
for presidency in the 2005 Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
presidential elections. Szili lost the election on June 7, 2005 to opposition nominee László Sólyom
László Sólyom
László Sólyom is a Hungarian political figure, lawyer, and librarian who was President of Hungary from 2005 to 2010. Previously he was President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary from 1990 to 1998....
. The Hungarian Constitution
Constitution of Hungary
The Constitution of the Republic of Hungary , its fundamental law, was adopted on 20 August 1949, and heavily amended on 23 October 1989. It is Hungary's first and only permanent written constitution; the country is the only former Eastern Bloc nation that did not adopt an entirely new constitution...
prescribes that the President must be elected by the National Assembly of Hungary
National Assembly of Hungary
The National Assembly or Diet is the parliament of Hungary. The unicameral body consists of 386 members elected to 4-year terms. Election of members is based on a complex system involving both area and list election; parties must win at least 5% of the popular vote in order to enter list members...
, thus the victory of the opposition came as something of a surprise. The junior coalition party, the Alliance of Free Democrats
Alliance of Free Democrats
The Alliance of Free Democrats – Hungarian Liberal Party is a liberal party in Hungary, led since July 2010 by Viktor Szabadai . The SZDSZ is a member of the ELDR and of Liberal International...
(SZDSZ), however, had long emphasized that it would not vote for a partisan President. Szili as a high ranking a member of the Socialist party was considered partisan, the SZDSZ abstained, enabling the more neutral candidate Sólyom (who was originally nominated by an NGO
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
Védegylet and later supported by the opposition), to win the office. Another reason for the failed nomination was that SZDSZ was not consulted ahead of time and Szili lacked qualifications compared to Sólyom who previously held high office as the president of the Constitutional Court of Hungary
Constitutional Court of Hungary
The Constitutional Court of Hungary is a special court of Hungary, making judicial review of the acts of the Parliament of Hungary. The official seat of the Constitutional Court is Esztergom....
.
In 2009 Szili was the mayoral candidate of MSZP for the mayor of a major Hungarian city, Pécs
Pécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
. She lost the election to Zsolt Páva.
She became to be considered inner opposition inside the MSZP since 2009. In 2009 Szili resigned from her position as speaker of Parliament, She was succeeded by Béla Katona
Béla Katona
Béla Katona is a Hungarian politician , who served as Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary from 2009 to 2010.-References:**...
of MSZP. She formed the Movement of Alliance for the Future in 2010 and had own candidates in some areas in the 2010 Hungarian parliamentary election
Hungarian parliamentary election, 2010
A parliamentary election was held in Hungary on 11 and 25 April 2010 to choose MPs for the National Assembly. They were the sixth free elections since the end of communist era. The 386 members of parliament were elected in a combined system of party lists and electoral constituencies...
. Szili was elected to the Parliament of Hungary via the Baranya County Party list where she was chairperson of the local MSZP chapter. After the 2010 local elections, held on the 3rd of October, she founded the Social Union
Social Union (Hungary)
The Social Union , abbreviated to SZU, is a centre-left political party in Hungary. It has a traditionalism and social democratic ideology.-Establishment:...
and became its first chairperson. As a result, she quit the Hungarian Socialist Party
Hungarian Socialist Party
The Hungarian Socialist Party describes itself as a social democratic party in Hungary. It is the partial successor of the communist Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party , which ruled Hungary between 1956 and 1989. The decision to declare the party a successor of the MSZMP was controversial, and...
and their parliamentarian group. Continuing the parliamentarian work as formally independent MP. However as an elected parliamentarian she is serving a four year term ending in 2014. Thus the new party Social Union instantly has some representation in Parliament, which is usually not possible for parties having won less than 5% of votes.
In 2011, Szili became member of the Nemzeti Konzultációs Testület (National Consultative body) preparing the new
constitution. Later, she presented her own proposal.