Latest news with #DemocraticAllianceofHungariansinRomania
Budapest Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Deputy PM: Tisza Party is an empty vessel bereft of ideas
Zsolt Semjén said the Tisza Party was incapable of saying anything meaningful about any relevant issue. Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said the opposition Tisza Party is an empty vessel bereft of ideas, and all it can do is hurl hatred and slander at Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. During a podium discussion at the 34th Balvanyosi Summer Free University and Student Camp in Baile Tusnad (Tusnadfurdo) on Thursday, Deputy PM Semjén said the Tisza Party was incapable of saying anything meaningful about any relevant issue. 'They don't have party experts, which is why they're not setting up a shadow government,' he said, adding that Tisza could not name their candidates for Hungary's 106 individual constituencies 'because they don't have 106 people' available as candidates. He said the 2026 general election would be won by parties that win 60 individual electoral districts and do well on national party lists, 'especially if the Hungarians in Transylvania, too, support them'. Commenting on Hungarian-Romanian bilateral relations, he said much closer cooperation should be maintained between the two countries, which would serve the interests of both Hungary and Romania and therefore the interests of Transylvanian Hungarians, too. President of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, Hunor Kelemen, told the podium discussion that it was a fundamental interest of Transylvanian Hungarians to strengthen bilateral relations and make dialogue permanent. He said he had attended the informal meeting of Orbán and Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Wednesday evening. He added that the two prime ministers had immediately found a common wavelength and had been able to consult about important issues. The nearly two-hour meeting was characterised by mutual respect and sincere dialogue, he said.
Euractiv
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
The hypocrisy of the left has gone too far
Loránt Vincze has been an EPP Member of the European Parliament since 2019 on behalf of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ). He is the EPP coordinator in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, the International Secretary of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), and Chair of the EP Intergroup on Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages. The political left in Europe has mastered the art of selective principles. They champion the rule of law – until it no longer serves their narrative. They demand institutional transparency and an ethics body – as long as the committee of "independent experts" is made up of NGO representatives from their own ideological corner. They defend civil society and non-governmental organisations – so long as those organisations follow the GMW ideology: Green, Migration, and Woke. But let's be honest: what they really want is for GMW-aligned NGOs to receive unchallenged access to EU funds. They talk of accountability while turning a blind eye when these same organisations use public money to lobby the very institutions that fund them – only to return and ask for more. We value the work of NGOs, grassroots organisations, and civic groups that genuinely contribute to dialogue and problem-solving in their communities. NGOs can be ideological, and that's part of healthy democratic debate. But public authorities must not treat those aligned with left-wing causes as more legitimate than conservative ones. Increasingly, grant applications are disregarded unless they explicitly endorse GMW priorities, narrowing pluralism and undermining trust in the fairness of EU funding. This is not principled politics. This is not public service. This is GMW fundamentalism, a form of ideological extremism no less harmful than any coming from the far right. It's rigid, intolerant of dissent, and deeply disconnected from the everyday concerns of European citizens. In Brussels, the political arena has become dominated by this double standard. The so-called 'EU bubble' often demands the political downfall of the centre-right and the right. The message is clear: there is room only for the approved narrative, only for the acceptable ideology. But the left must come down from its moral high horse and step into the real world – the world outside the plenary chamber and beyond the Brussels think tanks. Go and meet the people. Speak to workers, farmers, small business owners, teachers, and families. Listen to what they care about. You'll quickly find that the GMW ideology might stir debate on social media, but it's not what keeps people up at night. Their real concerns? Rising living costs, educational opportunities, access to healthcare, decent wages, honest entrepreneurship, dignified pensions, peace and security. Ironically, many of these are traditionally seen as centre-left issues. But today, they are better addressed by the European People's Party (EPP) and its commitment to the social market economy – a model rooted in responsibility, solidarity, and practical solutions. The centre-right represents the backbone of Europe: families, communities, entrepreneurs, farmers. These are not abstract interest groups; they are real people with real lives and real hopes. And we fight for them. It seems to surprise when the EPP Group pushes back. In truth, we should do it more often – and more firmly. We are Christian Democrats . We stand for European values, for the European way of life, for subsidiarity, for national responsibility in European coordination, and for a strong Europe that acts with purpose in a rapidly changing world. For the EPP, citizens and communities are at the centre – not ideology. And when policies are put to the test in the European Parliament, outcomes may surprise you. In fact, voting records show that in the past year, during final votes there were more than twice as many majorities formed between the Socialists and the right against the EPP than between the EPP and the right against the Socialists. Numbers aside, the EPP will not shy away to get a majority behind rightful decisions. In the end, the verdict on the left's hypocrisy will not be rendered by editorial pages, political spin, or virtue-signalling speeches. It will come at the ballot box – by citizens who are tired of being lectured, and ready to be heard.
Budapest Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Government to double donations for flood-hit Szeklerland
Raging floods in Szeklerland have caused widespread damage beyond the catchment area of the Praid salt mine. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the government will double donations received from the public media's all-day fundraising for Szeklers in Transylvania, Romania, affected by the flood catastrophe. Botond Barna Bíró, the head of Harghita county council, took part in today's cabinet meeting, PM Orbán noted in a video after Wednesday's meeting. Raging floods in Szeklerland have caused widespread damage beyond the catchment area of the Praid salt mine, he said. 'So we must help Haromszek as well,' he said. The government is coordinating with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) party on the distribution of aid, and the relevant talks will continue with the RMDSZ president on Thursday, the prime minister said. PM Orbán thanked Hungary's public media for organizing the fundraiser for National Cohesion Day in cooperation with the Ecumenical Relief Organization to help the Szeklerland. The government has added a forint for every one donated, he said in the video posted to his official social media page.
Budapest Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
PM Orbán holds talks with RMDSZ leader
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Kelemen Hunor, the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), in his office on Monday. According to MTI , PM Orbán said the Hungarian government welcomed the unity shown by the Transylvanian Hungarian community in preventing an 'anti-Hungarian president' from coming to power in Romania. The prime minister said his government was prepared to cooperate with Nicusor Dan, Romania's president-elect, adding that they will continue to consider RMDSZ's position as the basis for Hungarian-Romanian ties.
Euronews
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Hungarian minority plays key role in Dan's Romanian presidential win
High voter turnout, including many young people and women heading to the ballot box, was one of the decisive factors that overturned the first round score and propelled Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan across the line to win Sunday's presidential runoff in Romania. The Romanian Hungarian minority also played a strong part, as in both rounds, the counties where they live were overwhelmingly in favour of Dan. That's according to István Székely, the vice president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), who said those factors meant a victory for Dan rather than "the extremist and anti-Hungarian George Simion." Székely told Euronews that Dan could launch a centre-right presidential movement, similar to that of Emmanuel Macron in France, but he does not believe that the country's current party structure will allow for immediate change. The leader of the Hungarian minority group noted that both candidates represented radical change. "It's true that they wanted to take the country in opposite directions, but the need for radical change unites them", Székely said. "With the current composition of the parliament, it will be difficult to meet this demand, but at the same time, I think early elections are out of the question for various reasons." But regarding what happened at the polls, Székely admitted that the presidential election did finish according to the RMDSZ's predictions. He said the alternative candidate they supported against George Simion did not win, but voters understood the election's stakes and chose instead to back the pro-Europe Dan. "A victory for George Simion would have been dangerous in any case, given his record and aggressiveness," said analyst and lawyer, Péter Eckstein-Kovács, a well-respected minister and former senator in the Romanian parliament. "This danger was felt by the vast majority of Hungarians in Transylvania. They voted for Nicușor not out of fear, but out of common sense. If there is a dangerous person, let's shoot him," the former RMDSZ politician said when asked if Hungarians in Transylvania had anything to fear. "We will be left with about five million xenophobes in the future. It is not easy to digest." George Simion, the hard-right, nationalist leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), had election flyers printed with a photo of himself alongside one of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán with the slogan "The Romanians can count on the Hungarians in their fight for Christianity and sovereignty." While saying he does not interfere in Romania's election, Orbán appeared to support Simion in the runoff, while the Romanian nationalist candidate repeatedly tried to obtain the Hungarian prime minister's endorsement and thus his influence on the Romanian Hungarian voters for the battle in which every ballot counted. As part of his strategy, Simion recalibrated his nationalist political platform in the second round, appealing to the Hungarian community — known for its disciplined approach to voting — and their party. During the campaign for the second round, political sources in Budapest told Euronews that emissaries from Simion's campaign had been in contact with Orbán's government, ahead of the decisive vote last Sunday Just as the runoff campaign began, Orbán referenced Simion in a speech in the Hungarian town of Tihany and then on social media saying that while 'Romania's elections are none of our business ... we assure the Romanian people and their future president: Hungary stands for unity, not division." "We will not support any form of political isolation against Romania or its leaders. Romanians can count on Hungarians in their fight for Christianity and sovereignty,' Orbán emphasised. Yet Orbán's statement drew immediate backlash from UDMR/RMDSZ President Kelemen Hunor, who responded in a Facebook video that 'Simion is not a friend of the Hungarians — and never will be.' 'George Simion is not a sovereignist; he is a charlatan. Each cell (in his body) represents the principle that Hungarians don't have a place in Romania,' Hunor said. Orbán then spoke with Hunor by phone, reiterating that Hungary does not interfere in Romania's election and that ultimately the Hungarian party's position prevails in this debate: 'the Hungarian government deems that Romania's Hungarian Democratic Party's position to be decisive, the interest of the Transylvanian Hungarians is indicative." "We have always cooperated with all Romanian leaders, of all times, for the progress of the Transylvanian Hungarians' life and existence," Orbán said. On Tuesday, Eckstein-Kovács told Euronews that "Orbán shot himself in the foot with his pro-Simion comments in Tihany," "He did so after the RMDSZ, the civil sector, and church leaders had all urged support for Nicușor. He believed that Transylvanians loved him so much that they were unthinkingly following his recommendations and growing the anti-EU far-right party group. Well, it didn't work," Eckstein-Kovács added. "The Transylvanians voted against Simion in their own well-perceived interest. But very much so. The Orbán effect has been shattered," he said. Orbán has since congratulated Dan on his victory in the Romanian presidential elections, saying in a post on X he looked forward to "working together on strengthening the cooperation between Hungary and Romania, to the benefit of our peoples." Historian Stefano Bottoni believes the RMDSZ found it challenging to walk the tightrope and satisfy both Budapest and Bucharest after Orbán seemed to pledge support for Simion. Bottoni described the Hungarian prime minister's move not so much an international violation but rather a political mistake. "It's a transnational space; everybody interferes in everything. I don't see a serious sovereignty problem here," Bottoni told Euronews. According to Bottoni, Orbán's mistake was in thinking that what works in Hungary will also work in Romania. "The RMDSZ has found itself between two seats: there is Bucharest, where it is part of a government and a long-established member of the political elite, and there is Budapest, where it has very different expectations and it cannot meet both," Bottoni explained. Bottoni stressed that what Orbán offered was an alliance that would have been critical for Romania's Hungarian community. "The fact that the Hungarian prime minister did not see this or did not care is a cause for reflection, because it has been a long time since Viktor Orbán made such a serious political mistake in Hungarian-Hungarian political relations," he said. The fact that two candidates critical of the political system made it to the second round also shows that mainstream parties failed to take advantage of the reprieve offered by the runoff. "It is clear that something has to change," Bottoni added. "The only way for the democratic political system to survive this crisis is to come up with something: whether it's a new coalition, new formations, new ideas, a new style of governance. I think that Romanian democracy has a chance now and it is very important not to miss it, because there may not be a second one." In Romania, the president's office is more than just ceremonial. In addition to approving laws passed by parliament and heading the military, the president is also in charge of foreign policy, representing the country at the European Council. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada's personal secretary Ximena Guzmán and adviser José Muñoz were assassinated as they travelled to work on Tuesday morning, the country's authorities have said. The two were shot dead at around 7 am on a busy thoroughfare in the capital's Moderna neighbourhood. An investigation has been launched into their murders, which experts say show the hallmarks of an organised crime hit. It is the worst attack in recent years against public officials in the capital — where political violence is less common than in other parts of the country. Photos from the crime scene show an Audi's windscreen riddled with bullet holes. Mexico security analyst David Saucedo, who questioned why someone as senior as Guzmán did not have a security detail, said the murders were likely carried out to put pressure on Brugada's administration. Mexican President Sheinbaum, of the Morena party to which Brugada also belongs, condemned the killings at her daily morning press conference. 'We will not let this cowardly act go unpunished,' said Omar García Harfuch, the country's security minister who survived an assassination attempt five years ago while he was the city's police chief. Brugada paid tribute to Guzmán and Muñoz shortly after their deaths, before vowing to continue her administration's 'relentless fight against insecurity'. Mexico capital's mayor, who had worked with them both for years, called Guzmán a 'wonderful, tireless' person and described Muñoz as 'one of the most intelligent people' she had ever met. 'We in the city's cabinet are shocked and mourn the loss of two dear comrades,' Brugada said. Homicides in Mexico City in the first quarter of 2025 were slightly up from the same period the previous year. The murders on Tuesday follow the recent killings of political figures elsewhere in the country, including a mayoral candidate in Veracruz state who was gunned down along with three others at a campaign rally earlier this month.
