Tensions in ruling coalition after Hungarians in Romania’s national hockey team sing Székely anthem

An incident that occurred after an international hockey match has generated outrage in the Romanian media and tensions in the governing coalition.

Last week, after the Romanian and Hungarian teams faced off in the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, ethnic Hungarians part of Romania’s national team sang the anthem of the predominantly Hungarian region of Székely Land, instead of Romania’s, causing an uproar at home.

Romania lost the game (2-4) held in Ljubljana – as it did all of the four games of the World Cup. Even before the game, Romania was to finish in last place in its group and be relegated, so there were no high stakes riding on its match with Hungary.

Strong ethnic ties bridged the two teams. Players from Miercurea Ciuc and Gheorgheni, cities predominantly inhabited by ethnic Hungarians, make up the bulk of Romania’s national hockey team. On the other side, three players from the Hungarian team - Nandor Fejes, Tamas Sarpatki, and Istvan Sofron – were born in Romania’s Harghita county.

After the game, most of the players from the Romanian team, along with the Hungarian players, sang the anthem of the Székely Land after that of the winner, Hungary. The Romanian media denounced their act as “revolting.”

“Something like this should not have happened,”said Alexandru Hălăucă, president of the Romanian Hockey Federation. “Players from the Székely Land area are attempting to destabilize the national team. We [the Federation] will have elections in August and they’ll try to get someone from that area [to win],” he added.

According to the regulations, the players in question risk being suspended for at least one year from the national team, but also from their club teams.

The scandal also had a strong political echo given that the ethnic Hungarians' party UDMR is part of the ruling coalition in Romania alongside the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and National Liberal Party (PNL).

“Those who don’t respect Romania have no business wearing the red, yellow and blue [the colors of Romania’s flag],” said transport minister Sorin Grindeanu (PSD). The Social Democrat also publicly asked his colleague, sports minister Eduard Novak (UDMR), to urgently address the issue.

Social Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu also