Roma MEP Livia Jaroka, elected vice-president of the European Parliament [editar]

Livia Jaroka, Hungarian MEP of Roma origin, has been elected Vice-President of the European Parliament by 290 votes in favour. She is the first Roma person to hold this post.

This election is an important political gesture in support of the battle for the rights of Roma, and of minorities in general, in Europe, especially taking into account the delicate situation that exists in countries such as Hungary, France or Germany that are seeing a worrying raise of populist radical-right parties.

Lívia Járóka (EPP, HU) was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2004 and she was the second MEP of Romani ethnic origin in the history of this Institution. The first was Juan de Dios Ramírez Heredia from Spain, who served from 1994 to 1999.

There are currently three representatives of Romani origin in the European Parliament: Soraya Post  (SW, S&D), Damian Draghici (RO, S&D) and Livia Jaroka (HU, EPP).

In 2012 Livia Járóka was awarded the "FSG Prize 2012" for her contribution to the launch of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and her sustained commitment to Europe’s Roma community.

FSG would like to congratulate Livia Jaroka on her appointment as EP Vice-president and offer her our collaboration and support in the fight for equal opportunities of Roma.