Dr. László Tőkés
László Tőkés, a prominent Hungarian Reformed pastor, was born on April 1, 1952, in Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca, Romania). He became a significant figure in the 1989 Romanian Revolution, which led to the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime. From 1990 to 2009, he served as the bishop of the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District. Tőkés was also a member of the European Parliament (EP) from 2007 to 2019, holding the position of EP Vice President from 2010 to 2011.
Tőkés studied at the Protestant Theological Institute of Kolozsvár from 1971 to 1975 and began his ministry as an assistant pastor in Brassó and later in Dés. Due to his opposition to state and church authorities and his advocacy for minority and religious rights, he was illegally expelled from the ministry in 1984, leading to 25 months of unemployment.
In 1986, Tőkés became an assistant pastor in Timișoara (Temesvár) and later the head pastor. His outspoken criticism of the Romanian government’s policies, including its destruction of villages, led to constant harassment. In 1989, after being removed from his position and exiled to a remote village, he refused to comply, sparking widespread resistance that culminated in the Timișoara uprising, a pivotal event in the Romanian Revolution.
After the revolution, Tőkés briefly joined the National Salvation Front Council but resigned, partly due to the Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureș) “Black March” ethnic violence. He was elected bishop of the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District in 1990 and became co-chair of the Synod of the Reformed Church in Romania. Tőkés also held honorary positions, including honorary president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) from 1990 to 2003 and the World Federation of Hungarians.
Tőkés was instrumental in founding the Partium Christian University in 1999 and served as president of the university’s supporting foundation. He also established and led the Transylvanian Hungarian National Council (EMNT) and the Carpathian Basin Hungarian Autonomy Council (KMAT), advocating for various forms of autonomy for Hungarian communities in Romania.
In 2007, Tőkés was elected to the European Parliament, initially joining the European Free Alliance (EFA) group. He was re-elected in 2009 as a joint candidate of the EMNT and RMDSZ and later joined the European People’s Party (EPP) group, eventually serving as an EP Vice President.
Tőkés also played a key role in founding the Erdélyi Magyar Néppárt (Transylvanian Hungarian People’s Party, EMNP) in 2012. His contributions to the Hungarian community are recognized by the Tőkés László Foundation, which awards the Tőkés László Prize in his honor.
