Politics of Romania - Political Parties and Elections

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.

e • d Summary of the 10 and 24 June 2012 Romanian local election results
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
  1. ^ PSD, PNL and PC ran as USL at county level and in the Capital, except in Covasna county, as well as in several other cities and communes. In some cities and communes the three parties ran in other alliances.
  2. ^ PDL ran by itself and in various alliances with different parties through the country. The main color used was light green, despite the official colors still being orange and blue, as used in Cluj.
  3. ^ Alliance between PNL and PC in some of the cities and communes.
  4. ^ Including PDL in various alliances.
Source: Central Electoral Bureau provisional results




The last presidential election took place in November–December 2009.

e • d Summary of the 22 November and 6 December 2009 Romanian presidential election results
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.

e • d Summary of the 7 June 2009 European Parliament election results in Romania
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
  1. ^ In the 2007 Romanian EP byelection, the Democratic Party won 13 seats, and the Liberal Democratic Party 3 seats. In December 2007 - January 2008, PD changed its name into Democratic Liberal Party, and fused with PLD.
  2. ^ Only the seats that Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania won in the 2007 Romanian EP byelection are listed.
  3. ^ In the 2007 Romanian EP byelection László Tőkés ran as an independent, and, for the 2004-2009 EP legislature stood in the EG-EFA Group. For this election, László Tőkés runs on the UDMR list.
  4. ^ Elena Băsescu re-joined PD-L after the exit-poll results where published.
Source: Biroul Electoral Central



The last legislative election took place on November the 30th 2008.

e • d Summary of the 30 November 2008 Romanian legislative election results
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

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