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Alojz Rakús (14 May 1947 – 27 August 2023) was a Slovak psychiatrist and politician. He served as the Minister of Health in the first two democratic governments of Slovakia following the end of the Communist regime. From 1998 to 2002 he was a Member of the National Council.

Life and career

Rakús was born in Trnava on 14 May 1947. He studied medicine at the Comenius University, graduating in 1971. In addition to Medical practice, he remained active in the academia, teaching at the Comenius University (1971–1982) and at the Slovak Medical University (from 1982 until his death).

From 1990 Rakús 1992 he served as the Health minister in the governments of Ivan Čarnogurský and Vladimír Mečiar. As the minister, he allowed medical staff to opt out from performing medical abortions and unsuccessfully attempted to limit the access to abortion. He was also a deputy of the Federal Assembly, until the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. From 1998 to 2002 he again served as the MP of the National Council representing the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH).

Rakús was among the most hardline conservative members of KDH. For example, he controversially claimed 52% of homosexuals could be cured of their condition and that tolerance to homosexuality could lead to more people being homosexual. In 2008, he left KDH and joined the four hardliner KDH MPs to co-found the Conservative Democrats of Slovakia. In 2012, he ran as a non-party candidate on OĽaNO party list in 2012 elections.

Alojz Rakús died on 27 August 2023, at the age of 76. He was Roman Catholic.

References

1. ^ "Zomrel Alojz Rakús, jeden z prvých ministrov zdravotníctva po Nežnej revolúcii a politik KDH". SITA.sk (in Slovak). 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
2. ^ Zajac, Peter (28 August 2023). "Peter Zajac: Za Lojzom Rakúsom (14. mája 1947 – 27. augusta 2023)". .týždeň - iný pohľad na spoločnosť (in Slovak). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
3. "List of Alumni of the Comenius University".
4. ^ "Za Alojzom Rakúsom, pokojným kresťanským intelektuálom". Štandard (in Slovak). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
5. "Alojz Rakús – niektorých možno liečiť". www.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
6. Gould, John A. (20 October 2021). Fragile Dreams: Tales of Liberalism and Power in Central Europe. University of Michigan Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-472-05504-3. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
7. Debnár, Ján (28 August 2023). "Zomrel exminister Alojz Rakús". Aktuality.sk. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
8. "Za Alojzom Rakúsom Odišiel výnimočný muž, ktorý sa držal svojej cesty". Denník Postoj. 29 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.

• 1947 births
• 2023 deaths
• Members of the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia
• Christian Democratic Movement politicians
• Conservative Democrats of Slovakia politicians
• Academic staff of Comenius University
• Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 1998–2002
• 20th-century Slovak physicians
• Comenius University alumni
• Politicians from Trnava
• Slovak Roman Catholics
• 21st-century Slovak physicians