Gyula Kovács (politician)

Former Prime Minister (1903–1905) and incumbent legislative speaker (1912–1913) István Tisza supported the reform of the common Austro-Hungarian Army to enhance the military power of the dual monarchy. In contrast, Independence Party was fighting for more Hungarian interests (i.e. use of the Hungarian language of command in the army). Tisza strongly pushed against opposition obstruction. He did not allow the opposition to speak up regarding rules of House of Parliament. Referring to an act of 1848, he called for the police force to force out numerous opposition representatives, including Kovács. Tisza managed to pass the Act of Protection, resulting in the removal of some members of the opposition party, on 4 June 1912.

As a result, the enraged Kovács, attempted to assassinate Tisza in the Hungarian Parliament Building on 7 June 1912. He had yelled, while jumped off the journalists' gallery: "There is still a member of the opposition!", and fired three times at Tisza. His shots, however, missed and the marks are still visible in the Parliament Building to this day. With his last shot, Kovács tried to kill himself, but he survived without a permanent head injury.^[2] Tisza then continued the session.

Later, Kovács was tried but acquitted, referring to "deeper disturbance of consciousness".^[3] In 1913, he resigned his mandate and retired from politics.^[4] In 1939, he immigrated to the United States.^[5]

• Biography Parliament Almanach 1910-1915
• Pölöskei, Ferenc: A Tisza-gyilkosság jogi következményei, a XX. század Intézet egy rendezvényének előadása
• 145 éve született Tisza István, a vasgróf, múlt-kor.hu, 24 April 2006