The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania achieved excellent results in elections held across Transylvania, assuring a stronger presence in local governments.

Below is an article published on the website of The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania:

On 1st of June 2008 local elections were held in Romania. The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania achieved excellent results on this occasion, thus assuring a strong presence in local governments for the next four years, in various regions across Transylvania.

According to the final data, the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania is still the fourth strongest political organization in Romania. 

The election results are as follows:
The Social Democrat Party (PSD) got 42.5%, the Democrat-Liberal Party (PD-L) 32.5% and the National Liberal Party 12,5 % of the total amount of County Council President seats. 

In the case of the mandates of members of the County Council, the Democrat-Liberal Party won 32.94%, and its first. It is followed by PSD with 32.35% and the PNL with 21.05%. 

Most of the Mayors seats were won by the PSD consisting 38.72% of the votes, followed by the PD-L with 27,65% and the PNL with 20,79%.

Regarding the mandates of the members of the Local Council the PSD won 30.12%, the PD-L won 27.6% and the PNL 21,16% of the votes. 

In the first round of the elections, the nominees of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania won 148 mayors seats (8.67% of the votes); four major counties – Harghita, Covasna, Mures and Satu Mare – will have DAHR presidents at the County Council (10%), there will be a total of 2.195 DAHR members (5.45%) in the Local Councils, and 89 members (6.52%) in the County Councils. 

The Hungarian Civic Party the recently established party competing with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania won 6 mayors seats (0,35% of the total amount of votes), 489 candidates (1,21%) got members in Local Councils, and 19 candidates (1.39%) won  seats in the County Councils. No HCP member won the Presidential seat at any County Council. 

These results show that the candidates of the DAHR for County Council members where elected by 425.216 voters, and at the same time, those of the HCP where elected by only 84.620 voters. These consist 5,43% respectively 1,08% of the total amount of the expressed votes. 

The second round of the elections will be held on June 15, 2008, and the DAHR has 78 candidates in race for a mayor’s seat. 

Who offers a solution for Transylvania, may give a correct answer to the troubling questions of the Balkans and Central Europe

Markó Béla, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania offered a speech at the „Living Transylvania” named conference in Brussels. During his presentation the president of DAHR conjured the most important moments of the Transylvanian history, outlining the ethnical diversity of the area and mentioned that neither in Transylvania the Hungarian minority representing 20 % of the population is not evenly distributed across Transylvania. At the same time he mentioned also the fact that even if, on the area of individual rights significant progress has been made, on the area of collective rights there still is a lot to do. He exemplified this by drawing a parallel between the collective rights and the case of the Cluj Napoca Hungarian state University. “At the Cluj Napoca state University the are Hungarian classes, and this is a great accomplishment, but we did not manage to achieve the formation of the independent Hungarians classes and lines, in my opinion because this would implicate the right to independent decision – taking  (collective rights) for the Hungarian teachers.” The president of DAHR also underlined that the biggest dilemma of today’s Romania, and of the Hungarian community of Transylvania is if they will be able to achieve is own forms of independence: cultural and territorial autonomy. 

The speech held in front of a huge audience was ended with the following conclusion: “I am convinced, that the one who offers a solution for Transylvania, may give a correct answer to the troubling questions of the Balkans and Central Europe, or even of those of the whole European continent.” 

Hans Gert Pöttering is glad for the electoral success of the DAHR

The president of the European Parliament, Hans Gert Pöttering met the president of DAHR, Mr. Markó Béla in Brussels. The president of the all since informed the EU politician about the results of this month’s election in Romania, underlining that in the first round of the elections, the nominees of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania won 148 mayors seats (8, 66% of the votes); four major counties – Harghita, Covasna, Mures and Satu Mare – will have Hungarian presidents at the County Council (10%), there will be a total of 2.195 DAHR members (5,45%) in the Local Councils, and 89 members (6,83%) in the County Councils. 

Hans Gert Pöttering expressed his gladness regarding the success of the DAHR at the local elections, at the same time he was interested to know if any kind of progress was made regarding rights of the national minorities in Romania. Answering to these questions Markó Béla, the president of DAHR formulated: even if, on the area of individual rights significant progress has been made, on the area of collective rights there still is a lot to do. As example the mentioned the National Minority Law that is being tergiversated for over two years, and the issue of independent Hungarian State University that has not found for listening ears yet. 

The Hungarian MEP’s of the DAHR Winkler Gyula and Sógor Csaba also attended the meeting.