Unprecedented: Hungarian leader elected for the first time by an EU body

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Kata Tüttő was elected President of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) during its session on Thursday, marking the first time since Hungary’s EU accession in 2004 that a Hungarian politician has taken the helm of an EU institution. Previously, Hungarian officials had only led EU agencies, making Tüttő’s appointment a historic milestone.

The role of the European Committee of the Regions

The European Committee of the Regions serves as a crucial advisory body that ensures EU policies remain connected to local and regional realities. According to Telex, in her first speech as president, Tüttő emphasised the Committee’s role in balancing complex EU policies with practical, on-the-ground perspectives. She highlighted that regional leaders contribute their common sense and innovation to EU decision-making, acting as stabilising forces in uncertain times.

I am very humbled by the cross-party support for my election as President of the European Committee of the Regions @EU_CoR.

The strength of the EU comes from being grounded in local realities.

It is our duty, our path as local leaders, to be the optimists of Europe. pic.twitter.com/BvdGYB8NMy

— Kata Tüttő (@CoR_President) February 20, 2025

Cross-party support for Tüttő’s leadership

Tüttő’s election as president of the European Union assembly of local and regional representatives makes her the first Hungarian leader of an EU institution, Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony said. He said Tüttő was assuming the presidency of the CoR “at a critical time when the EU really has to do something about the accumulation of crises”. “It is in the interest of all of Europe that local councils have a greater role in this,” he said.

“Because they are closer to the people, closer to the problems and closer to the solutions as well.” Karácsony said Tüttő’s election as CoR president was a “major acknowledgement for Budapest”, a serious chance for Hungary, but above all, the former deputy mayor’s personal achievement. He praised Tüttő’s work as deputy mayor, expressing regret that she was no longer working in that capacity. “But at least real political achievements still count for something in Europe,” he added.

Karácsony and Tüttő:

Tüttő: Cohesion policy most important means of keeping EU together

Mayors and local officials must convince their respective governments to protect the European Union’s cohesion policy so that the bloc remains united and strong, Tüttő. She told Hungarian reporters in Brussels that as CoR president, she would work on “keeping our shared home, the European Union, together” and on ensuring that the body protected the cohesion policy.

“I am very much counting on the Hungarian government’s support in this,” she added.

Tibor Navracsics, the minister of public administration and regional development, said Tüttő’s election as president of the CoR meant that Hungary now headed a key EU institution that presented an opportunity to represent national interests, achieving consensus and influencing European politics.

Having an opposition politician lead the CoR with the support of the Hungarian government is a chance to influence European public opinion, Navracsics told Hungarian reporters in Brussels. “Since we put national interests first, and given that our national interests are 80 percent aligned with the European interest, it’s good that Kata Tüttő represents Hungarian national interests in Europe, because it makes the European interest better,” he said.

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Publish date : 2025-02-20 03:34:00

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The post Unprecedented: Hungarian leader elected for the first time by an EU body first appeared on Love Europe.



Author : love-europe

Publish date : 2025-02-21 19:53:00

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