Székely autonomy initiatives

The Székely Land (Szeklerland) is a region of central Romania. The primary goal for the Hungarian political organisations in Romania is to achieve Szekler autonomy. The Szeklers make up about half of the Hungarians in Romania and live in an ethnic block. According to official data from the Romania's 2011 census, 609,033 persons in Mureş, Harghita and Covasna counties consider themselves Hungarian (56.8% of total population of the three counties). The Székelys (Szeklers), a Hungarian sub-group, are mainly concentrated in these three counties.

The most important political organisation of ethnic Hungarians in Romania is the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, which undertakes to represent all Hungarians in Romania (i.e. not only those living in the Székely Land). The demand for Hungarian autonomy has been part of their program since 1993.

In 2014, the Hungarian Civic Party signed a settlement with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania about cooperation and joint support for Hungarian autonomy.

The Hungarian People's Party of Transylvania also stands for Hungarian autonomy in Transylvania.

A Szeklerland based organization, the Szekler National Council held a peaceful demonstration in Odorheiu Secuiesc on March 15, 2006, in favor of autonomy where 4,000 to 10,000 people took part. Five days before this, President Traian Băsescu met with Jenő Szász (the mayor of Odorheiu Secuiesc and also president of the Hungarian Civic Union), who assured the president of the peaceful character of the March 15 ceremonies and also briefly presented the UCM's vision on autonomy. On March 16 Băsescu visited the town and met with local and county officials. Băsescu declared that the Romanian administrative system should be more decentralized, but only in a symmetrical way, with no more autonomy given to the Székely Land than to any other region in Romania.

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Wikipedia