Marek Lakatos was highlighted from the left as an example of how a person can leave a criminal past behind and create a new life. Through his commitment to social issues, crime prevention, and the rights of the Roma minority, he built a strong position within both public services and the Left Party. Now his career has come to a dramatic end after revelations that he used forged diplomas from a university he never even set foot in.

Lakatos was convicted in 2011 for, among other things, robbery and unlawful deprivation of liberty. After serving his sentence, he chose to change his life and started working to help young people escape crime. He trained as a social pedagogue and was employed by Fryshuset, where he used his own experiences as a basis for his work.

In the following years, he worked on safety and preventive initiatives in several municipalities in Skåne, including Malmö, Lund, Hässleholm, Eslöv, and Höör. His story of personal redemption made him a popular speaker and social commentator.

Commitment to Roma Issues

A central part of Lakatos’s work has been his efforts for the Roma minority, which carries a heavy criminal burden. As a Roma representative, he participated in various councils, reference groups, and dialogue forums aimed at strengthening Roma rights and counteracting alleged discrimination.

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He held positions within Malmö City’s council for the national minority Roma, and participated in contexts where inclusion, minority policy, and social justice were in focus. Over the years, he became a well-known voice in the effort to increase understanding of the Roma situation in Sweden.

Career Took Off With Fake Degree

An important part of Lakatos’s professional development was based on the claim that he held a social worker’s degree from Lund University. This merit opened doors to several qualified positions in the public sector, including as safety coordinator, counselor, and project manager in various municipal operations.

In his CV, he also claimed expertise in areas concerning national minorities, social policy, and work against racism in health care. These roles further contributed to his image as an expert with both academic and practical competence.

But according to information that has now emerged, Lakatos has never studied social work at Lund University or even set foot there. The diploma that was attached to several job applications turned out to be completely forged. This was reported by, among others, Sydsvenskan.

Admits Forgery

When the information became known, Lakatos chose not to deny the accusations. He admitted that the diploma was fake and wanted to portray the forgery as one of the greatest mistakes of his life – thus on par with his criminal career as a robber and kidnapper.

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According to him, the desire to appear more attractive on the job market was behind the decision, and he chose to take criminal shortcuts. He has also claimed that the other parts of his résumé have mainly been correct, but even there, several positions have been described by Lakatos as more extensive than they actually were. He has exaggerated and inflated certain roles within government agencies and ministries in his CV.

Leaving Politics – Fired from Job

Up until the revelations of his relapse into crime, Lakatos held several political assignments for the Left Party in Malmö. These included being a member of the Labor Market and Social Committee, substitute in the City Council, and member of Malmö City’s council for the Roma minority.

He was also set high on the party list ahead of the autumn election and was assessed as having good chances to secure a regular place in the City Council. After the revelations, however, he has announced that he is leaving both his political assignments and his candidacy. He has also been dismissed from his employment within Lund municipality.

Party representatives within the Left Party emphasize that the incident concerns Lakatos’s personal actions, but at the same time point out that his behavior may have damaged the party’s trust, where honesty is a fundamental prerequisite for political assignments.