Political Parties and Elections
For other political parties see List of political parties in Romania. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Romania.Romania has a multiparty system, which makes a majority government virtually impossible. The last eight years saw a settlement of the political scene, with merging of small parliamentary parties with larger ones. Despite that, the politics of Romania are still vivid and unpredictable. Currently there are five parliamentary parties (excluding the 18 ethnic minorities parties that have one representative each):
| Party Name | Party Name (Romanian) | Ideology | Leader | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Party | Partidul Social Democrat (PSD) | social democratic, center-left | Victor Ponta | ruling party, formerly part of the union PSD+PC (until 2010). Currently in a political alliance with the National Liberal Party and the Conservative Party in USL. |
| National Liberal Party | Partidul Naţional Liberal (PNL) | liberal, centre-right | Crin Antonescu Daniel Chițoiu |
ruling party, part of the ACD. The alliance is itself part of the USL together with Social Democratic Party. Crin Antonescu has suspended himself as member of the party as he is interim President of Romania. For that time, party vice-president Daniel Chițoiu is acting party president. |
| Conservative Party | Partidul Conservator (PC) | conservative | Daniel Constantin | ruling party, part of the ACD, formerly part of the union PSD+PC (until 2010). The alliance is itself part of the USL together with Social Democratic Party. |
| Democratic Liberal Party | Partidul Democrat-Liberal (PDL) | liberal conservative, centre-right | Vasile Blaga | opposition party |
| Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania | Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România (UDMR) | centrist, Hungarian minority party | Hunor Kelemen | opposition party |
The main non-parliamentary parties (around the 5% threshold) but with local representatives are:
| Party Name | Party Name (Romanian | Ideology | Leader | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Romania Party | Partidul România Mare (PRM) | Nationalism, Third position, Anti-Hungarian sentiment, National conservatism, Social conservatism | Corneliu Vadim Tudor | |
| New Generation Party – Christian Democratic | Partidul Noua Generaţie – Creştin Democrat (PNG-CD, PNG) | Romanian nationalism, Christian democracy | George Becali | |
| Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party | Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin Democrat (PNŢ-CD) | Christian democracy, Agrarianism | Marian Miluţ/Aurelian Pavelescu–Vasile Lupu/Victor Ciorbea | legal dispute regarding leadership |
The last general local election took place on 10 June 2012, with an unexpected run-off and two tepeated elections for mayor on 24 June 2012.
| Party | County Councils Presidents (PCJ) |
County Council seats (CJ) |
Mayors (P) | Local Councils seats (CL) |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | ||||||||
| Social Liberal Union (PSD, PNL, and PC) (Uniunea Social Liberală - USL) |
4,260,709 | 49.71 | 36 | 4,203,007 | 49.68 | 723 | 2,782,792 | 33.99 | 1,292 | 2,630,123 | 32.74 | 12,668 | |||||||
| Social Democratic Party (Partidul Social Democrat - PSD) |
— | — | 22 | 8,666 | 0.10 | 3 | 731,597 | 8.93 | 373 | 682,378 | 8.49 | 4,046 | |||||||
| Centre Right Alliance (PNL and PC) (Alianţa de Centru-Dreapta - ACD) |
— | — | 14 | — | — | — | 52,938 | 0.64 | 27 | 43,532 | 0.54 | 244 | |||||||
| National Liberal Party (Partidul Național Liberal - PNL) |
9,249 | 0.10 | 13 | 4,755 | 0.05 | 2 | 586,050 | 7.15 | 263 | 532,488 | 6.63 | 3,101 | |||||||
| Conservative Party (Partidul Conservator) |
— | — | 1 | 611 | 0.00 | 0 | 62,591 | 0.76 | 14 | 69,687 | 0.86 | 381 | |||||||
| Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal - PDL) |
1,268,611 | 14.80 | 2 | 1,289,680 | 15.24 | 212 | 1,241,802 | 15.17 | 488 | 1,116,312 | 13.89 | 6,155 | |||||||
| People's Party – Dan Diaconescu (Partidul Poporului – Dan Diaconescu - PP-DD) |
787,143 | 9.18 | 0 | 757,194 | 8.95 | 134 | 577,195 | 7.05 | 31 | 668,234 | 8.32 | 3,021 | |||||||
| Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România - UDMR) |
467,420 | 5.45 | 2 | 473,783 | 5.60 | 88 | 400,627 | 4.89 | 202 | 435,205 | 5.41 | 2,248 | |||||||
| National Union for the Progress of Romania (Uniunea Națională pentru Progresul României - UNPR) |
168,900 | 1.97 | 1 | 204,083 | 2.41 | 13 | 205,274 | 2.50 | 24 | 218,465 | 2.72 | 972 | |||||||
| Greater Romania Party (Partidul România Mare - PRM) |
150,907 | 1.76 | 0 | 170,667 | 2.01 | 0 | 107,431 | 1.31 | 6 | 172,114 | 2.14 | 596 | |||||||
| Ecologist Party of Romania (Partidul Ecologist Român - PER) |
63,650 | 0.74 | 0 | 82,581 | 0.97 | 2 | 34,227 | 0.41 | 3 | 59,883 | 0.74 | 177 | |||||||
| Green Party (Partidul Verde - PV) |
80,697 | 0.94 | 0 | 63,508 | 0.75 | 0 | 24,131 | 0.29 | 2 | 39,199 | 0.48 | 113 | |||||||
| Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (Forumul Democrat al Germanilor din România - FDGR) |
69,445 | 0.81 | 0 | 62,085 | 0.73 | 11 | 15,540 | 0.18 | 8 | 18,847 | 0.23 | 57 | |||||||
| Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Partidul Național Țărănesc Creștin Democrat - PNȚCD) |
31,077 | 0.36 | 0 | 44,733 | 0.52 | 0 | 19,910 | 0.24 | 3 | 38,549 | 0.47 | 142 | |||||||
| New Generation Party (Partidul Noua Generație - Creștin Democrat - PNG) |
8,377 | 0.09 | 0 | 17,702 | 0.20 | 0 | 12,033 | 0.14 | 1 | 26,381 | 0.32 | 108 | |||||||
| other competitors | 1,204,432 | 14.09 | 0 | 1,077,031 | 12.79 | 15 | 1,331,402 | 16.26 | 384 | 1,280,049 | 16.02 | 5,092 | |||||||
| Total: | 8,570,617 | 100 | 41 | 8,460,086 | 100 | 1,338 | 8,185,540 | 100 | 3,121 | 8,031,446 | 100 | 39,121 | |||||||
| Invalid votes | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||
Notes
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Source: Central Electoral Bureau provisional results | |||||||||||||||||||
The last presidential election took place in November–December 2009.
| Candidates | First round | Runoff | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Sustaining Party | Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Traian Băsescu | Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat Liberal) |
3,153,640 | 32.44 | 5,275,808 | 50.33 | |
| Mircea Geoană | Social Democratic Party + Conservative Party (Alianţa Electoralǎ Partidul Social Democrat + Partidul Conservator) |
3,027,838 | 31.15 | 5,205,760 | 49.66 | |
| Crin Antonescu | National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional Liberal) |
1,945,831 | 20.02 | |||
| Corneliu Vadim Tudor | Greater Romania Party (Partidul România Mare) |
540,380 | 5.56 | |||
| Hunor Kelemen | Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România) |
372,761 | 3.83 | |||
| Sorin Oprescu | Independent | 309,764 | 3.18 | |||
| George Becali | New Generation Party (Partidul Noua Generaţie – Creştin Democrat) |
186,390 | 1.91 | |||
| Remus Cernea | Green Party (Partidul Verde) |
60,539 | 0.62 | |||
| Constantin Rotaru | Socialist Alliance Party (Partidul Alianţa Socialistă) |
43,684 | 0.45 | |||
| Gheorghe-Eduard Manole | Independent | 34,189 | 0.35 | |||
| Ovidiu-Cristian Iane | Ecologist Party of Romania (Partidul Ecologist Român) |
22,515 | 0.23 | |||
| Constantin-Ninel Potîrcă | Independent | 21,306 | 0.21 | |||
| Total valid votes | 9,718,840 | 100 % | 10,481,568 | 100 % | ||
| Source: Biroul Electoral Central | ||||||
The last European Parliament election took place in June 2009.
| Party | Votes | % of votes | Seats | 2007 Seating |
Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Party/Independent Candidate | EU Party | EP Group | ||||||||
| Social Democratic Party + Conservative Party Alliance (Alianţa Politică Partidul Social Democrat + Partidul Conservator) |
PES | S&D | 1,504,218 | 31.07% | 11 | 10 | +1 | |||
| Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat Liberal) |
EPP | EPP Group | 1,438,000 | 29.71% | 10 | 16 | -6 | |||
| National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional Liberal) |
ELDR | ALDE | 702,974 | 14.52% | 5 | 6 | -1 | |||
| Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (Uniunea Democrată a Maghiarilor din România) |
EPP | EPP Group | 431,739 | 8.92% | 3 | 2 | +1 | |||
| Greater Romania Party (Partidul România Mare) |
— | NI | 419,094 | 8,65% | 3 | 0 | +3 | |||
| Elena Băsescu | — | EPP Group | 204,280 | 4.22% | 1 | 0 | +1 | |||
| Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin Democrat) |
EPP | — | 70,428 | 1.45% | – | – | – | |||
| Pavel Abraham | — | — | 49,864 | 1.03% | – | – | – | |||
| Civic Force (Forţa Civică) |
— | — | 19,436 | 0.40% | – | – | – | |||
| Valid votes | 4,840,032 | 96.12% | – | |||||||
| Null (invalid) votes | 194,621 | 3.86% | – | |||||||
| Total: 18,197,316 expected voters (turnout 27.67%) | 5,035,297 | 100 % | 33 | 35 | –2 | |||||
Notes
|
||||||||||
| Source: Biroul Electoral Central | ||||||||||
The last legislative election took place on November the 30th 2008.
| Parties and alliances | Chamber of Deputies | Senate | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||
| PSD+PC Alliance | 2,279,449 | 33.1 | 114 | –10 | 2,352,968 | 34.16 | 49 | –6 | |
| Democratic Liberal Party | 2,228,860 | 32.4 | 115 | +48 | 2,312,358 | 33.57 | 51 | +22 | |
| National Liberal Party | 1,279,063 | 18.6 | 65 | +5 | 1,291,029 | 18.74 | 28 | +4 | |
| Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania | 425,008 | 6.2 | 22 | ±0 | 440,449 | 6.39 | 9 | –1 | |
| Greater Romania Party | 217,595 | 3.2 | 0 | –21 | 245,930 | 3.57 | 0 | –13 | |
| New Generation Party | 156,901 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | 174,519 | 2.53 | 0 | 0 | |
| Roma Party "Pro Europe" | 44,037 | 0.6 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania | 23,190 | 0.3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania | 22,393 | 0.3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Green Ecologist Party | 18,279 | 0.27 | 0 | – | 48,119 | 0.7 | 0 | – | |
| Democratic Union of Slovaks and Czechs in Romania | 15,373 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Bulgarian Union of the Banat - Romania | 14,039 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Union of Armenians of Romania | 13,829 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Democratic Union of Turco-Islamic Tatars of Romania | 11,868 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Association of Macedonians in Romania | 11,814 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Union of Serbs of Romania | 10,878 | 0.2 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Association of Italians of Romania | 9,567 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Turkish Democratic Union of Romania | 9,481 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Union of Ukrainians of Romania | 9,338 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Lipovenian Russian Community of Romania | 9,203 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Union of Croatians of Romania | 9,047 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Greek Union of Romania | 8,875 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| League of Albanians of Romania | 8,792 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Popular and Social Protection Party | 8,388 | 0.1 | 0 | – | 10,805 | 0.16 | 0 | – | |
| Union of Poles in Romania | 7,670 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Cultural Union of Ruthenians of Romania | 4,514 | 0.1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Romanian Socialist Party | 585 | 0.0 | 0 | – | 445 | 0.02 | 0 | – | |
| National Democratic Christian Party | 316 | 0.0 | 0 | – | 1,365 | 0.02 | 0 | – | |
| Party of the European Romania | 87 | 0.0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Independents | 28,355 | 0.4 | – | – | 10,068 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 352,077 | – | – | – | 350,816 | – | – | – | |
| Total | 7,238,871 | 100 | 334 | +2 | 7,238,871 | 100 | 137 | 0 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 18,464,274 | 39.2 | – | – | 18,464,274 | 39.2 | – | – | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver Central Election Office | |||||||||
Read more about this topic: Politics Of Romania
Famous quotes containing the words political, parties and/or elections:
“My passion strengthens daily to quit political turmoil, and retire into the bosom of my family, the only scene of sincere and pure happiness.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“The democrat is a young conservative; the conservative is an old democrat. The aristocrat is the democrat ripe, and gone to seed,—because both parties stand on the one ground of the supreme value of property, which one endeavors to get, and the other to keep.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“In my public statements I have earnestly urged that there rested upon government many responsibilities which affect the moral and spiritual welfare of our people. The participation of women in elections has produced a keener realization of the importance of these questions and has contributed to higher national ideals. Moreover, it is through them that our national ideals are ingrained in our children.”
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964)