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US Jewish leader worried about rise of Hungary's far-right Jobbik, says talk needed with party

Associated Press
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President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder, right, is awarded with the Kezdy Gyorgy Prize of the March of the Living by General Director of the March of the Living International Aharon Tamir, center, and Chairman of Board of the March of the Living Hungary Foundation Gabor Gordon, left, during a press conference held by the Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Hungary (Mazsihisz) and the organizers of the March of the Living in Hotel Four Seasons in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 12, 2015. (AP Photo/MTI, Balazs Mohai) (The Associated Press)

President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder, left, speaks during a press conference held by the Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Hungary (Mazsihisz) and the organizers of the March of the Living in Hotel Four Seasons in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 12, 2015. (AP Photo/MTI, Balazs Mohai) (The Associated Press)

President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S. Lauder, left, speaks as President of the Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Hungary and Vice President of WJC Andras Heisler, right, looks on during a press conference held by the Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Hungary (Mazsihisz) and the organizers of the March of the Living in Hotel Four Seasons in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 12, 2015. (AP Photo/MTI, Balazs Mohai) (The Associated Press)

The president of the World Jewish Congress has expressed concern about the increasing popularity of Hungary's far-right Jobbik party.

Ronald Lauder, who will give a speech Sunday during the March of the Living Holocaust commemoration, told The Associated Press that Jobbik's support among young voters was especially worrisome and showed that Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party and the opposition Socialists "are not giving them any hope."

Lauder said that many younger voters were turning to the party led by Gabor Vona not because of anti-Semitism but because "they're looking for an alternative. They're looking for something different."

Lauder said dialogue with Jobbik was key and that he believed "it's important to speak to anybody who's willing to listen."