Hungarian Party in Romania Celebrates Best Election Result in 20 Years

RMDSZ’s leader, Hunor Kelemen speaking at a recent congress

Hunor Kelemen, head of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), announced that the party achieved its best election result in 20 years on June 9, thanks to the trust of the Hungarian community in Transylvania.

Speaking at the Council of Federal Deputies meeting in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár), Mr. Kelemen emphasized the importance of maintaining this momentum throughout the marathon election year.

The party leader highlighted that RMDSZ is the sole credible representative of the Hungarian community in Transylvania, stating, “the RMDSZ is the instrument of Hungarian interest representation, the organizer of the Hungarian community in Transylvania.” He noted that the party’s local government candidates received well over 90 percent of the votes cast for Hungarian parties in the recent elections. He described the victory as proof of the Hungarian community’s strength and independence, saying, “the victory of the RMDSZ is a victory for the Hungarian community in Transylvania, which has proved that it is a strong and independent community that takes responsibility for its own future, its own destiny and its homeland.”

RMDSZ achieved a 6.5 percent national vote share and secured 580,000 votes for the European Parliament list, surpassing the proportion of Hungarians in Romania.

Hunor Kelemen attributed this success to RMDSZ’s candid discussion of European issues, contrasting with the silence of Romanian parties. “The citizens want the European Union to be closer to them, they want a European Union that deals with the issues of citizens and communities,” he explained.

Mr. Kelemen stressed the need to maintain the electoral pace, pointing out that Romania is preparing for the presidential election, followed by parliamentary elections in December. He emphasized the necessity for RMDSZ to perform well in the parliamentary elections to ensure its participation in the government, thereby aiding Hungarian communities with governmental tools.

He also mentioned the potential for significant administrative changes in Romania in the coming decades and highlighted the importance of RMDSZ’s presence in the government to counter rising anti-Hungarian sentiments.

A dispute between coalition parties on the timing of state elections prevented RMDSZ from deciding on a candidate for head of state. However, Mr. Kelemen emphasized the importance of a Hungarian candidate addressing issues relevant to both Hungarians and Romanian society. Despite some representatives suggesting Hunor Kelemen as the presidential candidate, RMDSZ will finalize the decision after the election date is set.

He also mentioned the signed agreement with smaller Hungarian parties, ensuring their place on the parliamentary candidate lists, despite the RMDSZ winning the majority of the Hungarian vote.

In response to whether separating presidential and parliamentary elections benefits Hungarians, Mr. Kelemen stated RMDSZ is always ready to seek community trust. He criticized the social-liberal coalition government’s inconsistency regarding the election timing, indicating that their promises cannot be trusted.

Via MTI; Fetured Image: MTI /Kiss Gábor