Ethnic Hungarians in Romania establish political alternative to dominating Hungarian Democrats

A Bucharest court has admitted on Tuesday the registration request of a new political group representing ethnic Hungarians in Romania, the Hungarian Civic Party (PCM). The move puts pressure on the Hungarian Democrats (UDMR), the only political group that has been representing ethnic Hungarians in Romania for most of the last 18 years as PCM offers a choice to some two million potential voters.

UDMR, which has been drawing an average of 6% in general elections since the fall of communism in Romania, has been a key ally for most governments in the post-communist history of the country.

However, a more conservative Hungarian movement has been strengthening its position and influence within the community, managing to threaten the Hungarian Democrats’ necessary threshold to enter the Parliament.

That raises questions about the possible outcome of two Hungarian parties in Romania in upcoming elections: will it be two, one, or none to enter the Parliament in Bucharest?