Hungarian Working People's Party

The Hungarian Working People's Party (Hungarian: Magyar Dolgozók Pártja - MDP) was the ruling communist party of Hungary from 1948 to 1956. It was formed by a merger of the Hungarian Communist Party (MKP) and the Social Democratic Party.^[1] Its leader was Mátyás Rákosi until 1956, then Ernő Gerő in the same year for three months, and eventually János Kádár until the party's dissolution. Other minor legal Hungarian political parties were allowed to continue as independent coalition parties, entirely reliant on the MDP dominated government.

During the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, the party was reorganised into the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party (MSZMP) by a circle of communists around Imre Nagy. However, after 4 November 1956, the MSZMP was controlled by János Kádár and fully supported the Soviet Union.

Chief functionaries of the Hungarian Working People's Party

General Secretary: (post abolished in 1953) Mátyás Rákosi 1948 - June, 1953

Chairman (merely formal post, abolished in 1950): Árpád Szakasits 1948 - 1950

First secretary (new post from 1953):

• Mátyás Rákosi 1953 - July, 1956
• Ernő Gerő July, 1956 - October, 1956
• János Kádár October, 1956

References

See also

• History of Hungary
• Politics of Hungary
• List of political parties in Hungary
• Eastern Bloc politics