The Romanian Hungarian Democratic Union (RMDSZ) achieved its best result in twenty years in Sunday's local authority and EP elections, said the president of the union Kelemen Hunor at a press conference in Cluj on Monday.
After the restrained statements on Sunday evening, the politicians of the RMDSZ celebrated the success of the first Romanian elections this year in a shower of confetti on Monday. "This is a great success, the biggest success of the past twenty years and the success of the Transylvanian Hungarians together with the RMDSZ, our success is shared," Kelemen Hunor said.
He said: according to the processing of 99 percent of the votes, the association received 566,000 votes, and this high number of votes provides it with two EP representative mandates.
In the local elections, 199 RMDSZ mayoral mandates were secured, and four or five independent mayors who were supported by RMDSZ also won mandates.
The association also retained the leadership of the four Transylvanian counties - Hargita, Kovászna, Maros and Szatmár. He also retained the mayoral seat in Marosvásárhely, Szatmárnémeti and Szászrégen, and regained the leadership of Székelyudvarhely and Margitta.
Székelyudvarhely was conquered by the RMDSZ, which is expected to enter the EP
He also touched on the fact that the RMDSZ independently returned to several county and local governments, from which it was eliminated in 2020. These are the municipalities of Brasó County, Beszterce-Naszód and Beszterce, Máramaros County and Vajdahunyad, Medgyes, Aranyosgyéres. He kept his mayor in Hosszúmező, Koltó and Kisbács, and increased the number of municipal representatives in Nagybánya, Máramarossziget and Déva.
He talked about the success of the Moldavian Csángos in Bákó County, who, in addition to Gyimesbükk, also elect a mayor in Gajcsáná, the easternmost Hungarian-inhabited village, and the Csángó villages will have representatives in six municipal governments.
The RMDSZ won votes in areas where its lists have never been voted for, and there are municipalities where it has a two-thirds or three-quarters majority, which is a big responsibility, he said. In the counties of Hargita, Kovászna, Maros and Szatmár, he increased his number of votes compared to the 2019 EP election, and more votes were received on the candidate lists of county municipalities than in 2020.
He underlined: there are people behind the numbers, 566 thousand Hungarians, a strong community that wants to create a future in the homeland.
The Hungarian people understood the stakes of the EP elections, they sent a clear message to Bucharest and Brussels: we will have an independent, strong voice and strong representation, he said. He added that the Hungarian people also appreciated the work of the local governments and confirmed their trust and good direction.
The president of the RMDSZ thanked the voters for their trust and the hard work of the campaign staff, and promised that the candidates who won the mandate will earn it with work. He underlined: for the RMDSZ, Hungarian interests will come first in the EP, and the interests of the local community in local governments.
Kelemen Hunor pointed out: the first season of the 2024 Romanian election year can be said to be successful, the RMDSZ's current result of 6.5 percent shows that the Hungarian community in Transylvania has strength and a definite vision of the future in its homeland.
MTI
Cover photo: RMDSZ is celebrating
Source: Facebook/Kelemen Hunor/Photo: Tamás Gönczy
