Dr. Szekeres graduated in 1974 from the University of Veszprém with a diploma in Chemical System Engineering. He worked as a researcher and instructor in the Cybernetics Institute at the university and in the meantime, he received a doctoral degree with his dissertation focused on the application of artificial intelligence. In February 2009, he was appointed as an Honorary Associate Professor of the same university, which had meanwhile changed its name to University of Pannonia. He conducts regular oral presentations related to economics and political science.
Between 1986-89, he worked in Veszprém as a member and later as Deputy President of the City Council. In 1990, he switched from a local to a national-level political career. As one of the organizers of the reform movement giving rise to the political changes in 1990, he participated in the founding of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP, 1989) and from 1990, he managed the organization of the new party as Acting Vice President. In 1994, he proved to be a successful Campaign Chief because MSZP achieved a parliamentary majority at the general elections. Between 1994 and 1998, he was the leader of the largest Socialist parliamentary faction of Europe numbering 209 members. He cooperated with numerous parliamentary representatives who have since become dominant personalities in local and national politics. Between 1998 and 2002, he was the President of the Budgetary Committee of the Parliament and from 2002, he has been President of the Economy Department of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP). He has been a parliamentary representative of the Jászság region since 1994. He participated in the preparation of Hungary’s NATO accession, the elaboration and adoption of the Act on Imre Nagy, hero of the 1956 Revolution as well as in enacting laws underlying the activity of the Hungarian National Bank and the modernization of the economy.
Between 2002 and 2004, he worked as a Political State Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and managed the Governmental Strategy Analysis Center. He was appointed as Minister of Defense in 2006. In this capacity, he implemented an army reform, the creation of a National Military Strategy; created a national consensus in military issues and a stable, predictable career for soldiers. By now, Hungary has become a dedicated and reliable partner in NATO.
As President of the Hungarian Triathlon Federation, he was successful in popularizing this mass sport, moreover, he achieved a sports diplomacy success when Budapest was granted the right to organize the World Triathlon Championship in 2010. He is an honorary citizen of Jászapáti, where he spent his childhood and a member of the Association of Jász People. His wife is a chemical engineer, they have one son and one daughter. In his spare time, he likes reading extensively, swimming and playing tennis.


Personal information:

Date and place of birth: September 09th, 1950, Szolnok
Marital status: married, two children

Educational attainment:

Diploma in Chemical System Engineering (1974, University of Veszprém)
Doctoral degree

Political career:

Government

Minister of Defense (June, 2006 - )
General Political State Secretary – Prime Minister’s Office (May, 2002 - October 2004)

Hungarian Socialist Party
Deputy President (2004 - )
Economy Department - President (2002-)
Vice President(2003 - 2004)
Member of the Presidency (1998 - 2003)
Vice President (1994 - 1998)
Campaign Chief (1994, 1998)
Acting Vice President (1990 - 1994)
National Secretary (1990)
County President – Veszprém County (1989)


Parliament

2006: Parliamentary Representative for Jászapáti
2002: Representative for Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County
1998: Parliamentary Representative for Jászapáti
1994: Parliamentary Representative for Jászapáti

Budgetary and Financial Committee – President (1998. - 2002.)
Subcommittee for European Union Integration - President (1998. - 2002.)
Faction Leader – Hungarian Socialist Party (1994. - 1998.)

Civil functions:

Hungarian Triathlon Federation - President (2003. - )
Association of Jász People (Jászok Egyesülete)

Awards and recognitions

Honorary citizen of Jászapáti
Honorary Associate Professor – University of Veszprém