The Székely Land is a region of central Romania. The primary goal for the Hungarianpolitical 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. The Székelys, a Hungarian sub-group, are mainly concentrated in these three counties.
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, 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. On February 12, 2007, Hungarian President László Sólyom visited Romania and met Băsescu. The discussions included the controversial topics of minority rights and autonomy. Băsescu has pointed out that the situation of the Székely in Romania is in full compliance with the standards of the European Union. He also mentioned that a referendum for territorial autonomy would be illegal and characterized the Székely initiative not as a test of the public opinion, but as a test of Romanian laws. Romania's Interior Ministry has said that organizing an informal poll is not illegal. On 10 March 2013, thousands gathered to demonstrate for Szekler autonomy. László Tőkés also participated on the march. The protest was called "Székely Szabadság Napja". In Autumn 2013, the "Great Szekler's March for Autonomy" was held with thousands of people forming a 53-kilometer long human chain in Szeklerland. On 10 March 2014, thousands demonstrated for Szekler autonomy in Târgu Mureș. The program bore the same name as the earlier "Székely Szabadság Napja". In December 2019, two deputies of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians submitted a draft legislation favoring the autonomy of Székely Land. It was tacitly adopted by the Chamber of Deputies, where the Social Democratic Party held most seats, in 28 April 2020. After the draft bill exceeded the 45-day deadline for debate, it was automatically adopted. However, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis criticized the adoption of the draft on April 29 in a television speech in which he stated "as we... fight the coronavirus pandemic,... the PSD... fights in the secret offices of the parliament to give Transylvania to the Hungarians". He also used the Hungarian language in a mocking manner: ", dear Romanians; , PSD". The same day, the Senate rejected the draft bill. Iohannis' speech caused controversy, with Hungarian and Romanian officials and politicians criticizing him for it. At the end, Iohannis was fined by the National Council for Combating Discrimination for discrimination and ethnicity/nationality-based violation of the right to dignity.
Views of political parties
Territorial autonomy for the Székely Land was supported by the former People's Action Party, headed by former president Emil Constantinescu. In January 2018, Romanian Prime MinisterMihai Tudose threatened the Szekler community in a television interview by saying that "If they hang the Szekler flag on institutions in Szeklerland, the people who fly these flags will hang as well. Autonomy for Szeklers is out of the question."
