József Szájer of Hungary's ruling Fidesz party has announced his resignation as a member of the European Parliament.
According to MTi, Szájer said his resignation was submitted on Sunday to David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, adding that his decision marked the end of a “long period of reflection”. The resignation will come into effect on December 31.
The MEP said his resignation was not related to the current debate on the European stage, in which he said he agreed with and supported the position of the Hungarian government. Szájer said participating in the daily political struggle had been “an increasing mental strain” on him for some time, noting his 30-year career as a politician. He expressed his gratitude to voters for allowing him to serve four terms each as a member of the Hungarian Parliament and the European Parliament. Szájer said he will return to working in the intellectual field.
The Fidesz and Christian Democrat EP group said they were “saddened” by Szájer’s decision. In a statement, the group thanked Szájer for his service and praised his efforts in establishing Hungarian civic conservatism and Christian democracy on the European political scene.
Photo credit: Hír TV