Politics of Romania

The Government and Politics of Romania

1. Politics of Romania By: Benedict Gombocz

2. Government of Romania Government ( Guvernul ): Unitary semi-presidential republic and multi-party democracy President ( Preşedintele României ): Traian B ăsescu Prime Minister ( Prim-ministru ): Victor Ponta President of Senate (Presedintele Senatului ): Crin Antonescu President of Chamber (Presedintele Camera ): Valeriu Zgonea

3. Parliament represented parties Democratic Liberal Party ( Partidul Democrat-Liberal, PD-L) Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania ( Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség , RMDSz; Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România, UDMR) Social Democratic Party ( Partidul Social Democrat, PSD) National Liberal Party ( Partidul Naţional Liberal, PNL) Conservative Party ( Partidul Conservator, PC)

4. Years of Romanian presidential elections and the winning party 1990: National Salvation Front ( Frontul Salvării Naţionale , FSN) 1992: Social Democratic Party ( Partidul Social Democrat , PSD ) 1996: Romanian Democratic Convention ( Convenţia Democrată Română , CDR ) 2000: Social Democratic Party ( Partidul Social Democrat , PSD ) 2004: Justice and Truth Alliance ( Alianţa Dreptate şi Adevăr , D.A. PNL-PD) 2009: Democratic Liberal Party ( Partidul Democrat-Liberal, PD-L)

5. Non-parliament represented parties with local representatives Greater Romania Party ( Partidul România Mare , PRM) New Generation Party – Christian Democratic ( Partidul Noua Generaţie – Creştin Democrat , PNGCD) Christian-Democratic National Peasants’ Party ( Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin Democrat , PNŢ-CD)

6. Democratic Liberal Party Populist, centre-right party Currently the ruling party Founded on 15 December 2007 when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party Part of then governing Justice and Alliance from 2004 to 2007 Won most seats in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in 2008 and formed a government coalition with the Social Democratic Party

7. Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania Main political organization representing the Hungarian minority of Romania Organized as a political alliance, but nevertheless acts as one of the five main parties of Romania Member or supporter of every government between 1996 and 2008 Entered opposition after 2008 legislative elections, but returned as a member of the government coalition in late 2009

8. Social Democratic Party Formed in 1992 after post-communist National Salivation Front broke apart Adopted its present name after merging with a minor social-democratic party in 2001 Governed Romania twice: From 1992 to 1996 and from 2000 to 2004 Entered into a coalition with the Democratic Liberal Party and formed a government led by Emil Boc Because of disagreements with Boc, the Social Democrats abandoned the coalition government in 2009

9. National Liberal Party Centre-right liberal party Largest member of then governing Justice and Truth alliance until April 2007 Entered opposition after 2008 legislative election and won 19.74% of seats in the Parliament; new government coalition formed by former ally Democratic Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party had 69.85% Formed Social Liberal Union political alliance along with Social Democratic Party and Conservative Party on 5 February 2011

10. Conservative Party Founded on 18 December 1991 under the name Romanian Humanist Party ( Partidul Umanist Român , PUR) Junior member of the then ruling coalition from 2005 until 3 December 2006 Took its current name on 7 May 2005 States that it promotes tradition, family, social solidarity, European integration, and nationalism without chauvinism

11. Greater Romania Party Radical right-wing, ultra-nationalist party Founded in June 1991 Participated in government briefly from 1993 to 1995 (in Nicolae Văcăroiu ’s cabinet) Attempted to align with the European People’s Party bloc in the European Parliament, during which it briefly changed its name to Greater Romania People’s Party

12. New Generation Party Nationalist, Christian democratic political party Founded in 2000 Taken over by businessman Gigi Becali, who became its leader, in January 2004 Won 2.2% of the popular vote but no seats in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate in 2004 legislative elections Has been described as the United States Department of State as an “extreme nationalist party”

13. Christian-Democratic National Peasants’ Party Christian-Democratic party Successor of the National Peasants’ Party (which, in turn, was the successor of the Romanian National Party from Transylvania) Founded in December 1989 under the name Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin şi Democrat   (PNŢCD or PNŢcd, Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party) First officially registered party after end of communism

14. Emil Boc President of Democratic Liberal Party and PM of Romania from 22 December 2008 until resignation on 6 February 2012 Born on 6 September 1966 in Răchiţele (now Mărgău ) Previously served as Mayor of Cluj-Napoca from 2004 to 2009 Acted as the head of an interim cabinet until a new Prime Minister and cabinet were confirmed by Parliament

15. Hunor Kelemen President of Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania and a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies since 2000 Born on 18 October 1967 in Cârţa Was nominated as his party’s candidate in the 2009 presidential elections and received 3.8% of the valid votes Romania’s Minister of Culture in Emil Boc’s government since December 2009

16. Victor Ponta Leader of Social Democratic Party and member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Gorj County Current PM of Romania Born on 20 September 1972 in Bucharest Was Minister-Delegate for Relations with Parliament from 2008 to 2009 in the Emil Boc cabinet Received a master’s degree in International Criminal Law from the University of Catania in 2000

17. Crin Antonescu President of National Liberal Party and President of the Senate Born on 21 September 1959 in Tulcea Was a candidate in the 2009 presidential election Was elected as a member of the Senate in the 2008 legislative election Member of the Chamber of Deputies between 1996 and 2008; acted as party delegates leader between 2007 and 2008

18. Daniel Constantin President of the Conservative Party Born on 26 June 1978 in Bucharest Previously served as President of APIA ( Agenția de Plăți și Intervenție pentru Agricultură , Payments and Intervention Agency for Agriculture) for six months- April to October 2009

19. Corneliu Vadim Tudor Leader of Greater Romania Party Born on 28 November 1949 in Bucharest Served as a senator from 1992 to 2008 Known for his nationalist and patriotic views Founded the Nationalist Weekly România Mare (Greater Romania), a magazine favorable to government policies, in June 1990

20. George Becali Leader of New Generation Party Born on 25 June 1958 in Zagna, Vădeni, Brăila Best known for his participation in the Steaua București football club Member of the European Parliament since 2009

21. Marian Milut President of Christian-Democratic National Peasants’ Party Born on 29 December 1955 in Craiova, Dolj County Was also president of the Romanian Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Union and assisted the Union’s co-operation with the European Popular Party

22. Results of 2009 presidential elections – First round

23. Results of 2009 presidential elections – Second round

24. Summary of 22 November and 6 December 2009 presidential elections results Democratic Liberal Party: 32.44% Social Democratic Party + Conservative Party: 31.15% National Liberal Party: 20.02% Greater Romania Party: 5.56% Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania: 3.83% Independent: 3.18% New Generation Party – Christian Democratic: 1.91% Green Party: 0.62% Socialist Alliance Party: 0.45% Independent: 0.35% Ecologist Party of Romania: 0.23% Independent: 0.21%

25. Sfârşit (The End)