1.
Romania
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Romania is a sovereign state located in Southeastern Europe. It borders the Black Sea, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia and it has an area of 238,391 square kilometres and a temperate-continental climate. With over 19 million inhabitants, the country is the member state of the European Union. Its capital and largest city, Bucharest, is the sixth-largest city in the EU, the River Danube, Europes second-longest river, rises in Germany and flows in a general southeast direction for 2,857 km, coursing through ten countries before emptying into Romanias Danube Delta. The Carpathian Mountains, which cross Romania from the north to the southwest are marked by one of their tallest peaks, Moldoveanu, modern Romania was formed in 1859 through a personal union of the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. The new state, officially named Romania since 1866, gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877, at the end of World War I, Transylvania, Bukovina and Bessarabia united with the sovereign Kingdom of Romania. Romania lost several territories, of which Northern Transylvania was regained after the war, following the war, Romania became a socialist republic and member of the Warsaw Pact. After the 1989 Revolution, Romania began a transition back towards democracy and it has been a member of NATO since 2004, and part of the European Union since 2007. A strong majority of the population identify themselves as Eastern Orthodox Christians and are speakers of Romanian. The cultural history of Romania is often referred to when dealing with artists, musicians, inventors. For similar reasons, Romania has been the subject of notable tourist attractions, Romania derives from the Latin romanus, meaning citizen of Rome. The first known use of the appellation was attested in the 16th century by Italian humanists travelling in Transylvania, Moldavia, after the abolition of serfdom in 1746, the word rumân gradually fell out of use and the spelling stabilised to the form român. Tudor Vladimirescu, a leader of the early 19th century. The use of the name Romania to refer to the homeland of all Romanians—its modern-day meaning—was first documented in the early 19th century. The name has been officially in use since 11 December 1861, in English, the name of the country was formerly spelt Rumania or Roumania. Romania became the predominant spelling around 1975, Romania is also the official English-language spelling used by the Romanian government. The Neolithic-Age Cucuteni area in northeastern Romania was the region of the earliest European civilization. Evidence from this and other sites indicates that the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture extracted salt from salt-laden spring water through the process of briquetage
2.
Constitution of Romania
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The Constitution of Romania was adopted on 21 November 1991. It was approved that year in a national referendum on 8 December. It remains the current fundamental law that establishes the structure of the government of Romania, the rights and obligations of the countrys citizens and it stands as the basis of the legitimacy of the Romanian government. The constitution was amended once by a referendum on 18 October 2003, the new text took effect on 29 October 2003. The first constitution of the United Principality of Romania was adopted 1 July 1866, after the extension of national territory in 1918, a new constitution was approved 29 March 1923. The 1923 constitution was reinstated after the fall of the Ion Antonescu dictatorship in 1944, the new constitution of Communist Romania was adopted in 1948 following the Soviet model, with subsequent variants appearing in 1952 and 1965. The Communist regime fell in 1989, after large portions of the 1965 document were suspended. The 1991 Constitution enshrined the return to democracy after the fall of the Communist regime. 3% voting in favour, the 1991 Constitution contains 7 titles and 152 articles. Romania is defined as a “national, sovereign, independent, unitary, the form of government is the republic, the president having up to two four-year terms. Parliament is “the supreme representative organ of the Romanian people and the sole lawmaking authority”, it is bicameral, after the prime minister is named by the president, Parliament validates the composition and programme of the Government and can dismiss it following a motion of censure. The constitution provides for fundamental rights and freedoms, and creates the office of Romanian Ombudsman to ensure these are respected. The 1991 Constitution has been amended once, in 2003, articles were introduced on “Integration into the European Union” and “NATO Accession”, bringing the total to 156 in 8 titles. These specified that both could take place by parliamentary vote alone, and that EU citizens living in Romania can vote and run in local elections. The revised document was adopted by referendum on 18–19 October 2003, turnout was slightly above the 50%+1 threshold needed for it to be valid, the opposition and NGOs alleged serious irregularities. 89. 70% voted yes and 8. 81%, no and it came into force ten days later. The issue of reform was raised repeatedly in the early 2010s. A public debate began in 2013 and a Parliamentary Commission for the Revision of the Constitution was established, however, the reform project stalled as the Social Liberal Union dissolved in early 2014 and Băsescu ended his term later that year. On 18 January 2015, the vice-president of the Parliamentary Commission, Valeria Schelean, stoica, Stan, Dicționar de Istorie a României, p. 94-5
3.
Government of Romania
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The Government of Romania forms one half of the executive branch of the government of Romania. It is headed by the Prime Minister of Romania, and consists of the ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, the seat of the Romanian Government is at Victoria Palace in Bucharest. The Government is appointed by the President of Romania on the basis of the vote of confidence granted to the Government by the Parliament of Romania, the current government is led by Sorin Grindeanu. A member of the Social Democratic Party, he was nominated by the leader of the party, Liviu Dragnea, two days later, President Klaus Iohannis officially appointed him Prime Minister-designate. He assumed office on 4 January 2017, if no such majority exists, the President consults all the parties represented in Parliament. Once nominated, the candidate establishes a list of members and a government platform, the 10-day interval is not a strict deadline, rather it represents the time period deemed optimal to establish a competent legal Government. The expiry of this allows the President to revoke the candidate and designate a new one. Once the candidate has formed a list and a program, he can ask for the Parliaments vote of confidence, the Parliament debates upon the matter in joint sitting, and can only reject proposals twice in a span of 60 days. If Parliament fails to approve a candidate within this time period, should the Parliament grant its vote of confidence, the proposed political platform becomes official, and the full list of Government must be confirmed by the President. The Government is then sworn in and begins its term, the Government is organized and functions in accordance with the Constitution, based on Government Program approved by Parliament. To achieve the goals stipulated in the Government Program, the Romanian Government performs the functions of strategizing, regulating, administering, representing and exercising the state authority, the role of the Government is sanctioned by the Constitution and by relevant laws. The Government answers exclusively to Parliament, both through compulsory information of Parliament and through questions, interpellations and inquiry committees, a Chamber of Parliament may carry a simple motion with regards to the subject matter of an interpellation. In extreme cases, the Parliament may vote a motion of censure, withdrawing its confidence, through a special habilitation law, the Government may be enabled to issue ordinances, which have the same legal force as ordinary laws. Ordinances are a form of legislative delegation, and may require approval in Parliament if the law states so. The Constitution of Romania provides for two types of members, namely ministers and the Prime Minister. The statute of additional members is established by organic law, current legislation establishes the positions of deputy prime minister, state minister and ministers delegated with special tasks. State minister is a position, the holder of which coordinates the activity of various ministries under the direction of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the leader of Government and coordinates its activity, the Prime Ministers office itself consists of the Prime Ministers Cabinet, the body of his state-secretaries and state-counselors, and the Prime Ministers Registry
4.
President of Romania
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The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a system for a five-year term. An individual may serve two terms, during his/her term in office, the President may not be a member of any political party. The office of President was created in 1974, when Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu elevated the presidency of the State Council to an executive presidency. It gradually took its current form in stages after the Romanian Revolution, the current President of Romania is Klaus Iohannis, since 21 December 2014. In the Communist era, the president was elected for a term of five years by the Great National Assembly and he served as ex officio president of the State Council, and had the right to act on any matter that didnt require a State Council plenum. He also appointed and dismissed ministers and heads of central agencies, Ceaușescu created the post in order to make himself chief decision-maker in both name and in fact. Previously, he had nominally been first among equals on the State Council, in practice, he used his power to act on all matters that didnt require a plenum to rule by decree, and frequently usurped many powers that belonged to the State Council as a whole. After the Constitutional Court acknowledges the legality of the election, the Houses of Parliament meet in a joint session, the prerogatives of the President of Romania are set out in Title II, Chapter III of the Constitution. In internal affairs, Representing the Romanian State and safeguarding of the independence, unity. Guarding the observance of the Constitution and the functioning of public authorities, designating and appointing the Prime Minister, subject to parliamentary approval. Appointing and removing ministers, on the proposal of the Prime Minister, consulting the Government on major policy matters. Addressing messages to Parliament on issues of national interest, summoning the Houses of Parliament after a legislative election. Requesting the convocation of a session of Parliament. In foreign affairs, Concluding international treaties negotiated by the Government, on proposal by the Government, accrediting and recalling diplomatic envoys. Receiving letters of credence from foreign diplomatic envoys, approving the setting up, closing down or change in rank of diplomatic missions. In defence issues, Exerting the role of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, presiding over the Supreme Council of National Defence. Declaring mobilisation of the Armed Forces, subject to approval of Parliament
5.
Klaus Iohannis
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Klaus Werner Iohannis is the current President of Romania. He became leader of the National Liberal Party in 2014, after having served as leader of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania from 2002 to 2013, Iohannis was a physics teacher and a school inspector before entering full-time politics. Iohannis was first elected mayor of the city of Sibiu in 2000, Iohannis is credited with turning his city into one of Romanias most popular tourist destinations, and the city was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2007. He was again the candidate for Prime Minister of the National Liberal Party, Iohannis is the first Romanian president to come from an ethnic minority. He is a Transylvanian Saxon, part of Romanias German minority which settled in Transylvania in the 12th century, thus, he is the fourth president of German origin from Eastern Europe in the post-communist period, after Rudolf Schuster and Ferenc Mádl and Pál Schmitt. He is also the first president since the Romanian Revolution with no past ties to Communism, born in the historic centre of Sibiu to a Transylvanian Saxon family, Klaus Iohannis is the eldest child of Susanne and Gustav Heinz Johannis. He has a sister, Krista Johannis. His father worked as a technician at an enterprise, while his mother was a nurse, however, he chose to live and work in Romania. As of 2014, his parents, sister and a live in Würzburg. Iohannis has stated that his family settled in Transylvania in present-day Romania 850 years ago, Iohannis is fluent in German and Romanian at a native level and also speaks English. The original spelling of his name is Johannis, but the name was registered by a Romanian official as Iohannis on his birth certificate, in 1989, he married ethnic Romanian Carmen Lăzurcă, an English teacher at the Gheorghe Lazăr National College in Sibiu. Iohannis is a member of the Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania, the German-speaking Lutheran church in Transylvania. He joined the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania in 1990, and served as a member of its board of education in Transylvania from 1997, in 2001, he was elected President of the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. In 2000, the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania in Sibiu decided to back him as a candidate for mayor and he is the first ethnic German mayor of a Romanian city since Albert Dörr, who served from 1940 to 1945. The small German minority is popular in Romania, where they are viewed as hard-working, precise. Many Romanians also remember that the country experienced some of its best moments under German kings over a century ago, throughout his tenure as mayor, he has worked to restore the towns infrastructure and to tighten the city administration. Iohannis is also credited with turning the city into one of Romanias most popular tourist destinations thanks to the extensive renovation of the old downtown. During his first term, Iohannis worked with a city council that had a social democrat majority, since 2004, during his second and third terms, his own party, FDGR, had the majority
6.
Prime Minister of Romania
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The Prime Minister of Romania is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was styled President of the Council of Ministers, when the term Government included more than the Cabinet, the title was officially changed to Prime Minister during the communist regime. Sorin Grindeanu has been the incumbent prime minister since 4 January,2017, one of the roles of the President of the Republic is to designate a candidate for the office of Prime Minister. The President must consult with the party that has the majority in the Parliament or, if no such majority exists, once designated, the candidate assembles a proposal for the governing program and the cabinet. The proposal must be approved by the Parliament within ten days, both the program and the cabinet membership are debated by the Parliament in a joint session of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The proposal is accepted if a majority of all Deputies. Once the vote of confidence is obtained, the candidate becomes the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister, the Ministers, and other members of the Government take an oath before the President, as stipulated under Article 82 of the Constitution. The Government as a whole and each of its members exercise their mandate from the date of the oath, the Prime Minister directs Government actions and co-ordinates the activities of its members. He submits to the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate reports and statements on Government policy, the President cannot dismiss the Prime Minister, but the Parliament can withdraw its support through a vote of no-confidence. List of Prime Ministers of Romania Nicolae C
7.
Parliament of Romania
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The Parliament of Romania is the national legislature of Romania, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies, and the Senate. Its meeting place is at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, prior to the modification of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses, if the text differed, a special commission was formed by deputies and senators, that negotiated between the two houses the form of the future law. The report of this commission had to be approved in a joint session of the Parliament. After the 2003 referendum, a law still has to be approved by both houses, but each house has designated matters it gets to deliberate before the other, in capacity of deciding chamber. If that first chamber adopts a law proposal, it is passed on to the other one, if it makes amendments, the bill is sent back to the deciding chamber, the decision of which is final. In 2009, a referendum was held to consult the population about turning the parliament into a unicameral body, although the referendum passed, the results are not binding, a referendum explicitly mentioning the modification of the constitution being required to achieve this. The organic regulation laid the foundations for the institution in the Romanian Principalities. Under the royal dictatorship, the parliament became merely a decorative body, carol abdicated in September 1940, and the succeeding National Legionary State suspended parliament. The National Legionary State as such lasted less than five months, but it was succeeded by Ion Antonescus military dictatorship, thanks to the documents issued by the provisional revolutionary power, Romania has returned to a bicameral parliamentary system. All these stipulations can be found in the countrys new Constitution, the 1866,1923, and 1938 Constitution of Romania state that the assembly presidents are elected at the beginning of each session. This tradition was kept in the years of the Peoples Republic. In modern times, both presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate are elected for the duration of that houses term. Under special circumstances the presidents of the houses can be revoked, a text of a law had to be approved by both houses. If the text differed, a commission was formed by deputies and senators. The report of this commission had to be approved in a joint session of the Parliament and this French procedure proved to be extremely long and inefficient with respect to the expectations of the Romanians towards democracy. After the 2003 referendum, a law still has to be approved by both houses, but in some one is superior to the other, being called decision chamber. This eliminates the process of negotiation between the two houses, and keeps the Senate as the house and the Chamber as the lower house
8.
Senate of Romania
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The Senate is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 176 seats, to which members are elected by popular vote, using mixed member proportional representation in 43 electoral districts. The parliamentary history of Romania is seen as beginning in May 1831 in Wallachia, in January 1832 it came into force in Moldavia also. This laid the foundations for the institution in the two Romanian principalities. Moldavia and Wallachia, while remaining under the suzerainty of the Ottomans, were recognized as quasi-independent self-governing principalities under the protection of the other European Powers. The Paris Convention of 19 August 1858 promulgated Statutul Dezvoltător, to introduce a bicameral parliament and this was later renamed the Senat. A formal Union of the two came in 1859. On the initiative of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, a plebiscite in 1864 enlarged the principle of national representation, the 1866 Constitution of Romania proclaimed constitutional monarchy as Romanias form of government, on the basis of national sovereignty and the separation of powers. Legislative power was to be exercised by the new Prince and a parliament, with an Assembly of Deputies. On 9 May 1877, the Declaration of Romanias independence was read under the dome of the Romanian Parliament, the 1923 Constitution, approved by both houses of parliament in May 1923, again entrusted legislative power to the Senate, the Assembly of Deputies, and the King. In February 1938, amid the crisis which soon led to the Second World War. Under the Constitution of 1938, Parliament lost some of its main powers, the Senate was to be composed of members appointed by the King, members by right, and members elected in single-member electoral areas, in the same manner as Assembly members. The proportion of appointed and elected members was to be equal, in September 1940, after the abdication of King Carol, the National Legionary State suspended parliament but itself lasted less than five months. It was succeeded by Ion Antonescus military dictatorship and parliament remained suspended, on 23 August 1944, under pressure from the Soviet Union and other communist forces, parliament was re-organized as a single legislative body called the Chamber of Deputies of Romania. Under the 1948 constitution this became the Great National Assembly, a relatively impotent body subordinate to the power of the Romanian Communist Party, the Romanian Revolution of 1989 opened the way to restoring pluralistic electoral democracy. Under the countrys new post-communist Constitution of 1991, approved by a referendum in 1991, Romania returned to a bicameral parliamentary system. The electors approved by a percentage of 77. 78% the adoption of a unicameral Parliament, after the Romanian Revolution of 1989, the Senate was housed in the Palace of the Senate, located in Revolution Square. That U-shaped structure was built from 1938 to 1941 under engineer Emil Pragers coordination and it housed the Council of Ministers and from 1958 to 1989 it was the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party
9.
President of the Senate of Romania
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The President of the Senate of Romania is the senator elected to preside over the Senate meetings. He is also the president of the Standing Bureau of the Senate, the President of the Senate is elected by secret ballot with the majority of votes from the Senators. If none of the candidates obtains the necessary votes, the first two compete again, and the one with most of the votes wins, between 3 July 1864 and 1 June 1866 the Upper House of the Legislative was called Corpul Ponderator. Members where nominated by the Domnitor, based on the proposals of the counties, the upper house was called Senat or Camera Senatului. Most of the Senators where elected, some where senators by right, voters and members had to be at least 40 years of age, except the heir to the Throne, that was senator at 18 years, and allowed to vote in the Senate at 21. In 1946 elections were called only for the Assembly of Deputies, after the overthrow of the King and the establishment of the communist republic, the upper house was dissolved and disbanded. The upper house is called Senat and is headed by a President, Interim officeholders are denoted by italics. The Rule of the Senate states that at the first standing of the house and those bear the title of Interim President of the Senate, and, as their term is very short are not listed. The interim officeholders listed have hold the office in different circumstances and they were actually Vice Presidents standing as caretaker President during a vacancy. The caretaker Vice Presidents during the two suspensions of Traian Băsescu in April–May 2007 and in June–July 2012 are not listed, as the seat of President of the Senate was not vacant
10.
Standing Bureau of the Senate of Romania
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The Standing Bureau of the Senate consists of the President of the Senate, four vice-presidents, four secretaries, and four quaestors. The President of the Standing Bureau also serves as the President of the Senate, the President is elected, by secret ballot, for the duration of the legislative period. All the other members are elected at the beginning of each parliamentary session, the functions are distributed through the political groups respecting the proportions of the political composition of the Senate. At the moment both Chambers of Parliament are constituted, until the procedures are completed, the session is conducted by the eldest Senator, aided by the two youngest Senators. Although the leaders of the groups are not members of the Standing Bureau
11.
Chamber of Deputies (Romania)
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The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house in Romanias bicameral parliament. It has 329 seats to which deputies are elected by popular vote in single-member electoral districts using mixed member proportional representation to serve four-year terms. Additionally, the organisation of national minority is entitled to a seat in the Chamber. The is the body elected by the deputies that rules the Chamber and its President is the President of the Chamber, and he/she is elected for a whole legislature. All the other members are elected at the beginning of each parliamentary session, there is one President, and four of each, Vicepresidents, Quaestors and Secretaries. The current composition is listed below, standing committees and current leadership are listed below. In Romanias 2004 legislative election, held on 28 November, no party won an outright majority, the Conservative Party withdrew in December 2006, meaning that the government lost the majority in the Chamber of Deputies. After the 2004 elections, several deputies from the PSD switched to other parties or became independents, the number of Justice and Truth Alliance deputies also increased from 112 to 118, making it the largest formation in parliament as of October 2006. This changed again in December 2006, leaving the PSD with 107 seats, since April 2007 the Justice and Truth Alliance has split leaving the two former members with 51 respectively 50 members. Deputies elected to the European Parliament in the 2007 election resigned, a new election was held in 2008. The table below gives the state of play before the 2008 election and that coalition was tacitly supported by the PSD. Elections to the Chamber of Deputies were held on 26 November 2000, the governing majority was formed from the PSD and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, which, with 182 members, made up 54. 8% of seats. The president of the Chamber of Deputies during this period was Valer Dorneanu, the distribution of seats was as follows, Official website
12.
President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania
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The President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania is the deputy elected to preside over the meetings in the lower chamber of the Parliament of Romania. He is also the president of the Standing Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies, the President of the Chamber of Deputies is elected by secret ballot with the majority of votes of the deputies. If none of the candidates receives the majority of votes. Between 1862 and 1948 the lower house was called Assembly of Deputies, in 1946, the Senate was abolished by a Governmental amendment to the 1923 Constitution, and the Parliament became unicameral. The Legislative was called Great National Assembly, the Assembly was headed by an elected President. After the Constitution was voted, the Assembly changed the name in Chamber of Deputies, the Rule of the Chamber of Deputies states that at the first standing of the house, the meeting is headed by the eldest senator and helped by the youngest senator. Those bear the title of Interim President of the Senate, and, the interim officeholders listed have hold the office in different circumstances and for a longer time. Presidents page on the Chamber of Deputies website
13.
Liviu Dragnea
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Liviu Nicolae Dragnea is a Romanian engineer and politician. The leader of the Social Democratic Party and a member of the Democratic Party, he was Minister of Administration. He has represented Teleorman County in the Chamber of Deputies since December 2012 and he resigned from the cabinet in May 2015, following a conviction in a case involving electoral fraud, for which he received a two-year suspended sentence in April 2016. Following the December 2016 parliamentary election, he became President of the Chamber of Deputies and he graduated from the Transport faculty in 1987. Dragneas political career began in 1996, when he was elected a city councilor in Turnu Măgurele. From 1996 to 2000, while Dragnea was a member of the PD, he served as prefect of Teleorman County, he switched to the PSD. In 2000, he became president of the Teleorman County Council and he is a member of the PSDs permanent national bureau and of the partys Teleorman County chapter. In 2006, he was elected party president for state reform and decentralisation. Beginning in the 2000s, Dragnea was characterised as a local baron with an influence within the PSD. For instance, in 2006, he was one of the individuals who forced Adrian Năstase to resign as party head, fear of losing control over this Teleorman County empire was cited as yet another possible motive for his resignation. Controversy arose too during his first term as county council president, in 2001, the council privatised a state construction firm at a very low price. Dragneas personal driver won it at auction, and Dragnea awarded the firm many public contracts for road construction, some of these being considered overvalued. In 2004, he was accused by high-ranking PD members of having bought a hotel for 800 million lei and reselling it for 40 billion lei to his drivers firm, also that year, he was blamed for wasting public money by having the council sponsor a basketball club. In January 2009, following the resignation of Gabriel Oprea, Dragnea was named Interior Minister and he announced his priorities as being the safety of children in school, the safety of citizens on the street, decentralisation and administrative reform. Twelve days later, he resigned, citing a lack of resources, also, his brief tenure was rocked by an armed robbery in Braşov and an arms theft from a depot in Ciorogârla. He became secretary general of the PSD in July 2009, at the December 2012 parliamentary election, Dragnea won a seat for Teleorman County with 71. 5% of the vote. Later that month, he resigned his position in the county council, simultaneously, he left the county council leadership. In early 2013, he left the party secretary position, soon becoming executive president
14.
Judiciary of Romania
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The judiciary of Romania is organized as a hierarchical system of courts, with a civil law system. Provisions regarding its structure and organization are found in the Constitution, the civil courts are organized as follows, High Court of Cassation and Justice 15 Courts of Appeal 41 county courts and the Bucharest Municipal Court 188 Local courts. Each court is run by a president, who is responsible for its management. Within most courts there are specialized sections or panels for civil and criminal cases, a number of specialized courts also exist, such as the Argeș Commercial Court and the Braşov Family Court. The Constitutional Court of Romania acts as an independent constitutional jurisdiction and is not part of the court system. The military court system is organized into three tribunals, the Territorial Military Tribunal and the Military Court of Appeal
15.
High Court of Cassation and Justice
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The High Court of Cassation and Justice is Romanias supreme court, and the court of last resort. It is the equivalent of Frances Cour de cassation and serves a function to other courts of cassation around the world. It held various names during its existence, Curtea Supremă and Tribunalul Suprem during Communist times, the name Înalta Curte de Casație și Justiție was re-introduced in 2003, having been also used during the Kingdom of Romania. Judiciary of Romania Constitutional Court of Romania Official website
16.
Romanian Ombudsman
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The Romanian Ombudsman is an independent institution of the Government of Romania, responsible for investigating and addressing complaints made by citizens against other government institutions. The Romanian Ombudsman was established in 1991 after the ratification of the countrys first post-communist constitution, initially, the ombudsman was appointed by the Senate for a four-year term. After the Constitutional Amendment of 2003, the ombudsman is appointed for a term of five years, the ombudsman is not allowed to hold any other public or private function, aside from teaching in a tertiary education institution. The ombudsman is aided by a number of assistants specialised in legal domains such as rights, minority rights, childrens rights, police issues, property, industrial relations. The current ombudsman is Victor Ciorbea, the office of the ombudsman is in Bucharest, at 3 Eugenia Carada St. The institution also has offices in 14 regional centres
17.
Social Democratic Party (Romania)
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The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. PSD traces its origins to the Democratic National Salvation Front, a group established in 1992 from the post-communist National Salvation Front. In 1993 this merged with three parties to become the Party of Social Democracy in Romania. The present name was adopted after a merger with the smaller Romanian Social Democratic Party in 2001, since its formation, it has always been one of the two dominant parties of the country. The PDSR governed Romania from 1992 to 1996, while the PSDR was a coalition partner between 1996 and 2000. The party left government after Prime Minister Victor Ponta resigned in November 2015, the founder of the party, Ion Iliescu, became President of the Republic, in office from the end of Communism in 1989 to 1996, and again from 2000 to 2004. On 22 April 2016, Liviu Dragnea was found guilty for vote rigging in the 2012 referendum, dragneas electoral rights and party membership were not suspended, thus he refused to step down as President of the PSD, having the support of almost the entire party. FDSN won the 1992 elections and went on to govern Romania until 1996, on 10 July 1993 it took the name of Party of Social Democracy in Romania upon merger with the Socialist Democratic Party of Romania, the Republican Party and the Cooperative Party. From 1994 to 1996 the PDSR ruled in coalition with the right-wing Romanian National Unity Party and Greater Romania Party, PUNR had ministers in the cabinet chaired by Nicolae Văcăroiu from March 1994 to September 1996. PRM was not present at the Cabinet, but was given some posts in the State administration, the PDSR went into opposition after the 1996 election, which was won by the right-wing coalition Romanian Democratic Convention. PSDR merged with PDSR on 16 June 2001, and the party took its present name. Mircea Geoană was elected president of the party in April 2005 by delegates at a PSD Party Congress held in Bucharest and his victory represented a surprise defeat for former President Ion Iliescu, who was expected to defeat Geoană handily. On 17 April 2008, the Social Democratic Party and the Conservative Party announced they would form an alliance for the 2008 local elections. In February 2010, the Congress elected Victor Ponta as president, on 5 February 2011, the PSD formed a political alliance known as the Social Liberal Union with the Conservative Party and National Liberal Party. The USL was disbanded on 25 February 2014 with exit of the National Liberal Party which immediately entered opposition, a number of its current or former senior members have also been accused of corruption, interfering in the judiciary and using their political positions for personal enrichment. Alleged text transcripts of PSD meetings surfaced on an anonymous Web site just before the 2004 Romanian presidential election, Năstase and his ministers are shown talking about political involvement in corruption trials of the governments members, or involvement in suppressing disobedient media. Năstase stated that the transcripts were fake, but several party members, including former PSD president, adrian Năstase temporarily self-suspended himself from the position on 16 January 2006 pending investigation of a scandal provoked by his wealth declaration, where he was accused of corruption. Politicians of the party have occasionally employed utilitarian anti-Semitism and this means that politicians who may usually not be anti-Semites played off certain anti-Semitic prejudices, in order to serve their political necessities
18.
National Liberal Party (Romania)
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The National Liberal Party is a conservative-liberal political party in Romania. Founded in 1990, it claims the legacy of the political party of the same name. Based on this legacy, it presents itself as the first formally constituted political party in the country. It is the second-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 102 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 51 in the Senate, until 2014, the PNL was a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. The party statutes adopted in June 2014 dropped any reference to international affiliation, on 12 September 2014, it was admitted as a full member of the European Peoples Party, and subsequently merged with the Democratic Liberal Party. The party is also a member of the Liberal International and Centrist Democrat International, the PNL contested the 1996 general election as part of the successful Democratic Convention of Romania electoral alliance. The 2004 general election was fought by the PNL under the Justice and Truth Alliance banner, in April 2007, then Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, who was also the party leader, formed a minority government only with the UDMR. In the 2009 Romanian presidential elections its new leader, Crin Antonescu, finished third, on 5 February 2011, the PNL formed the Social Liberal Union political alliance with the PSD, National Union for the Progress of Romania and Conservative Party. The PNL exited the USL on 25 February 2014, disbanding the alliance, on 26 May 2014, following the 2014 European elections, PNL party president Crin Antonescu announced that he was seeking membership of the European Peoples Party. At the beginning of the 8th European Parliament,5 of the PNL MEPs sat with the EPP Group, and 1 with the ALDE Group, who later became an independent MEP within ALDE. In late May 2014 the party agreed to a merger with the Democratic Liberal Party. The PNL-PDL presidential candidate was agreed to run under a banner called the Christian Liberal Alliance. On 27 June 2014, former PNL leader Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu announced his intention to found a liberal party to run for president. The breakaway party, called the Liberal Reformist Party, was founded by Popescu-Tăriceanu on 3 July 2014, on 26 July 2014, a joint party congress of the PNL and PDL approved the merger. In the first round of the 2014 presidential election on 2 November 2014, ACL presidential candidate Klaus Iohannis, PNL party president, Iohannis won the runoff election held on 16 November 2014 with 54. 5% of the vote. The party adheres to the doctrine of liberalism, advocating economic and social liberalization. In recent years, it has focused more on economic liberalism, for example, one of its main election promises for the 2004 legislative election was the introduction of a flat tax rate of 16% for personal income and corporate profits. Because the Liberal Party became part of the coalition, it managed to introduce this change
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Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
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The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania is a political party in Romania representing the Hungarian minority of Romania. From 1996 onwards UDMR has been a coalition partner in several governments. The party is a member of the European Peoples Party and Centrist Democrat International and its first president was the writer Géza Domokos. Four years later, the party, the Social Democratic Party of Romania won the 2000 elections. After negotiations, the UDMR, together with the Romanian Humanist Party, defected from the PSD alliance and pledged to form a coalition with the Justice, the UDMR obtained positions in the government. After the 2008 legislative elections UDMR entered in opposition, in 2012 the Romanian Parliament voted a motion of no confidence against the Ungureanu Cabinet. After the formation of the Social Liberal Union government led by Victor Ponta, after the 2012 elections the same parties continued to form a government under the leadership of Victor Ponta. In 2014 the liberal part of the party left the government, while the UDMR, PC. The UDMR left the government in December 2014, shortly after the victory of Klaus Iohannis as President of Romania. Since 2014 the UDMR is in opposition, UDMR is not a legally registered political party, but takes part in elections under art. 4 of the Law 68/1992 which assimilates organizations representing national minorities to political parties from a point of view. The UDMR represents the Magyar community of Romania, Hungarians represent 18. 9% of the total population of Transylvania, in Szeklerland they form the majority. The overwhelming majority of the Hungarian population of Romania lives in Transylvanian counties, in national elections, the Alliance consistently obtains around 6% of the votes, which roughly corresponds to the percentage of ethnic Hungarian voters. The organizations president is Hunor Kelemen, elected at a party congress in 2011, béla Markó, a writer, had held the position from 1993. He in turn was preceded by founding president Géza Domokos, in office from 1990 to 1993 and it has several associated partners and groups representing the civil society, or the social, scientific, artistic or professional domains. As decision-making bodies, the UDMR operates the Congress, the Council of Representatives, the Permanent Council, the consulting bodies of the alliance are, the Consulting Council of Regional Presidents, the Consulting Council of Platforms and the National Council of Self-governments. The bodies credited with controlling are the Regulation Control Committee, the Ethics, in addition, the President regularly convenes other consultative bodies such as the Economic Council and the Foreign Council. As an ethnic minority organization representing the Romanian Magyars the UDMR, above all, concerns itself with Hungarian minority rights, the alliance has undertaken the task of representing the interests of the Hungarian community of Romania in Romanian and European politics as well
20.
Greater Romania Party
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The Greater Romania Party is a Romanian nationalist political party. Founded in May 1991 by Eugen Barbu and Corneliu Vadim Tudor, the party is sometimes referred to in English as the Great Romania Party. It briefly participated in government from 1993 to 1995, tudors second-place position ensured he would compete in the second round run-off against former president and Romanian Social Democratic Party candidate Ion Iliescu, who won by a large margin. Although Tudor clearly remained the figure in the PRM, in March 2005 he briefly stepped down from the party presidency in favour of Corneliu Ciontu. A primary objective of the move was to provide the appearance of a shift toward the political center, during this period the PRM also briefly changed its name to the Greater Romanias People Party. EPP, however, rejected the PRM as a potential member, Tudor stated he refused to join the EPP because of its lack of identity. In November 2005, Ciontu, along with a faction of the PRM, formed their own party, the Peoples Party. Though due to disagreements, they left the group a few months later, Tudor subsequently launched a companion daily newspaper called Tricolorul. The partys initial success was attributed to the deep rootedness of Ceaușescus national communism in Romania. Both the ideology and the political focus of the Greater Romania Party are reflected in frequently strongly nationalistic articles written by Tudor. The party has called for the outlawing of the ethnic Hungarian party, the party has praised and shown nostalgia for both the military dictatorship of Axis ally Ion Antonescu, whom they consider a hero or even a saint, and the communist regime of Ceaușescu. The party rejected the 2006 Tismăneanu report on the communist dictatorship in Romania as a manipulation of history, in 2003, Tudor said he would no longer engage in discourse against Jews and Judaism or deny the Holocaust. He also said that he had become, in his own words, during this period, Tudor hired Nati Meir, a Jewish advisor, who ran and won as a PRM candidate for the Romanian Chamber of Deputies. Tudor also hired an Israeli public relations firm, Arad Communications, at the elections of 1996, PRM and Tudor polled less than 5% of the vote, still achieving 27 seats in Romanian legislative assemblies. After the elections in 2000, PRM was the second-largest party in the Romanian parliament, the party polled 23% of the vote, winning 126 seats in both of the Romanian legislative assemblies. In the presidential elections, Tudor polled 33% of the popular vote, in 2004 Vadim Tudor scored third, with 12. 57% of the vote, while PRM scored 13. 2%. In 2007 was the first time for the party not to gain at least 5% of the votes in the European elections held in Romania for the first time. In the 2008 parliamentary elections, the PRM scored only 3. 15%, its lowest result since its foundation, Greater Romania Party România Mare Tricolorul
21.
Elections in Romania
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Romania elects on a national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a term by the people. The Romanian Parliament has two chambers, the Chamber of Deputies has currently 329 members, elected for a four-year term by party-list proportional representation on closed lists. The Senate has currently 136 members, elected for a term by party-list proportional representation on closed lists. Romania has a multi-party system, with parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone. On 25 November 2007, for the first time, Romanians elected their representatives to the European Parliament, the President is elected in a two-round system for a five-year term. If one candidate obtains a majority of 50%+1 of all registered voters in the first round, if none of the candidates achieve this, then a run-off is held between the two contenders with the top scores in the first round. The candidate who obtains any majority of votes in the run-off is declared the winner, the term of the president is five years. Between 1992 and 2004 the term was of four years, but was increased following the 2003 Constitutional referendum, one person can serve a maximum of two terms, that may be consecutive. The option for an election system of the two Chambers of Parliament confers them the same legitimacy, as both of them are the expression of the will of the same electoral body. The two Chambers have different numbers of members, the Chamber of Deputies is composed of 329 Deputies, and the Senate of 136 Senators. Thus, for the election of the Chamber of Deputies the representation norm is of one Deputy to 73,000 inhabitants, there are 43 constituencies,1 for each county and the Municipality of Bucharest, and 1 for the Romanians living abroad. In a constituency, the number of Deputies cannot be less than four, the number of inhabitants taken into account is that existing on 1 January of the previous year, published in the Statistical Yearbook of Romania. If, at least five months before the date, a general census has taken place. The electoral threshold is for parties or candidates running individually 5% on national level or 20% in at least 4 constituencies, and 8-10% for coalitions or electoral alliances. The mandates assigned, under the conditions of the Election Law, to elect the 32 MEPs, Romania is considered a single constituency. The system used is closed party list proportional representation, with a 5% threshold of the votes, to elect the mayors the first past the post is used. The candidate who wins most of the votes is declared elected, for the office of Presidents of the County Councils, between 2008 and 2012, the first pass the post system was used
22.
Romanian presidential election, 2014
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A presidential election took place in Romania in 2014, and was held in two rounds, on November 2 and 16. In the first round, out of fourteen runners the top two candidates qualified in a run-off. Victor Ponta, Prime Minister and leader of the Social Democratic Party won around 40% of the vote, however, his government faced some indirect international criticism, with U. S. The electoral campaign ran between 3 October and 1 November and was overshadowed by corruption scandals involving key figures of PSD. Traian Băsescu won the last presidential election in 2009 and was sworn in for his term on 21 December 2009. Judge Veronica Năstasie is elected president of the Central Electoral Bureau,23 September, last day for submitting candidacies and the electoral insignia of the candidates. 24 September, the Central Electoral Bureau validated all the 14 submitted candidacies. 2 November,7 a. m. –9 p. m. first round of the presidential election,6 November, validation and publication of the election results in the Official Monitor. 7–15 November, electoral campaign for second round,16 November 7 a. m. –9 p. m. second round of the presidential election. 21 November, validation and publication of the results in the Official Gazette. The left-wing parties designated a candidate, Victor Ponta, the current Prime Minister. He was rated with the best chance of winning the election by main opinion polls, on the other hand, the main right-wing parties, strengthened under the Christian Liberal Alliance, have designated Klaus Iohannis, the second favorite of the opinion polls. This was a number of candidates since 1996, since in 2000,2004 and 2009. Likewise, this was the first time women candidates ran for the position of president of the country, because Corneliu Vadim Tudor appeared as the leader of the party in the Register of Political Parties kept at the Bucharest Tribunal, Gheorghe Funar is ran as an independent. Victor Ponta launched his campaign on his birthday, in a rally on the National Arena. Over 70,000 people from across the country attended the rally, one of the stadium lawns was covered with four large panels inscribed with the slogan Proud to be Romanians and depicting Romanian folk motifs. Likewise, he was criticized by PMP candidate Elena Udrea for the cost of organizing such an event which, Klaus Iohannis launched his campaign in front of the Government, in the presence of up to 30,000 people. The special guest of the event was the Secretary General of the EPP, Antonio López-Istúriz White, the vast majority of Romanians are Christian Orthodox like Ponta, while Iohannis is Protestant
23.
Romanian presidential election, 2009
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The first round of 2009 Romanian presidential elections was held in Romania on 22 November and a run-off round between Traian Băsescu and Mircea Geoană was held on 6 December 2009. Although most exit polls favored Geoană in the runoff, the authorities declared Băsescu the narrow victor with 50. 33% of the votes and it is to date the closest election in Romanian history. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe declared that the election was generally in line with OSCE commitments. On 8 December, the Social Democratic Party submitted their request to annul and repeat the presidential election run-off to the Constitutional Court, on 14 December, the Constitutional Court repelled the request after recounting all the annulled votes. Simultaneously with the first round, a referendum was held on introducing a unicameral parliament of up to 300 deputies instead of the current bicameral parliament. The referendum was declared valid after 50. 16% of the registered voters expressed their opinion, there were twelve candidates of which three ran as independents. The candidates of the parties were, the incumbent Traian Băsescu, Mircea Geoană, Crin Antonescu, Hunor Kelemen. Mayor of Bucharest Sorin Oprescu announced his candidacy as an independent candidate on 5 October 2009, radu, Prince of Hohenzollern-Veringen, husband of Princess Margarita of Romania first announced his candidacy to the office of President on 9 April 2009, but later withdrew. Băsescu also promised more equity to people living in the countryside, Băsescu tried to portray himself as the champion of the people against what he called the corrupt political elite. A widely used election poster carried the text, They cannot avoid what they are afraid of, Băsescus opponents countered that he is part of that elite, simply with different backers. In a Cluj-Napoca meeting with supporters he claimed he was the one to stop doubtful privatisations and he vowed to fight against the Parliament, which blocked his bid to install the Croitoru cabinet, and the media moguls. In the campaign for the first round, his campaign theme was reducing the number of lawmakers. The main counter-candidate, Geoană, on the hand, described himself as a man of dialogue. A former ambassador to the United States, former minister. In the first round held on 22 November, Băsescu came first with 32. 44% of the votes, according to a BBC analyst a victory by Geoană would be caused by the numerous enemies Băsescu has made during his tenure, especially in the media. Crin Antonescu was the first choice of all those who are fed up with Băsescu and his voters hold the key to victory on 6 December. Antonescu in turn called Băsescu a demagogue and a populist, Mircea Geoană promised to appoint Klaus Johannis as Prime Minister of Romania if he was elected President. Johannis was the supported by a majority in the Parliament of Romania
24.
Romanian general election, 2004
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Băsescu was elected President by a narrow majority of just 51. 2%. Following 2003 amendments to the constitution which lengthened the term to five years. The opposition alleged fraudulent use by the PSD of supplementary lists, traditionally, Romanians voted with a cardboard identity card, which was stamped when they voted. Most Romanians now have laminated plastic IDs, to which a stamp is affixed when a person votes. However, the stamps can be easily removed, the opposition claimed that there were organized electoral excursions of PSD supporters who were bussed to various towns to vote several times. This was corroborated by several teams of journalists, who followed the buses, the Romanian opposition announced on 30 November that they were demanding a re-run of the election, because some of the void votes were allegedly awarded to the PSD. The opposition announced that it had started a parallel count, which showed a PSD-DA difference of only 2% between, the government attacked the opposition by arguing that rumours of fraud affect Romanias economy and its external credibility. In January 2005, the IMAS institute of statistics released an analysis of the results in the 16,824 precincts. The same trend was true in the precincts with most void votes. On 13 December, the PUR president Dan Voiculescu hinted that they have more in common with the DA and that they break from the PSD. It has been suggested by the press that this could be result of a blackmail about his communist past, by 25 December both UDMR and PUR signed a protocol of alliance with DA, with the designated prime minister being Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. Thus, the PSD was left in opposition while Justice and Truth, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, central Electoral Bureau Fraud worries in Romanian poll BBC News
25.
Romanian legislative election, 2016
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Legislative elections were held in Romania on 11 December 2016. They were the first held under a new electoral system adopted in 2015, the new electoral legislation provides a norm of representation for deputies of 73,000 inhabitants and 168,000 inhabitants for senators, which decreased the number of MPs. A total of 466 parliamentary seats were contested, compared with the 588 parliamentarians elected in 2012, the diaspora was represented by four deputies and two senators, elected by postal vote. The elections saw a turnout of 39. 5%, lower than in 2012, the legislative election of 2016 unfolded differently compared to 2012 and 2008. The new electoral law promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis on 20 July 2015 however didnt retain uninominal constituencies for the Senate, closely sticking to the commissions recommendations, the new electoral law completely returned to party-list proportional representation. All in all this totals to a number of 466 MPs, while for single-party lists the electoral threshold is kept at 5%, a higher threshold of 8–10% is introduced for electoral alliances. For the first time the Romanian electors residing abroad were able to cast their vote via mail, in a reaction to the flawed procedures at the 2014 presidential election. Although the image of Victor Ponta and his Social Democratic Party was badly affected by scandals and a recent wave of protests. Besides the PSD, the Romanian party system however went through a number of substantial regroupings and they won an absolute majority to form a government headed by prime minister Victor Ponta. In turn, the PNL dropped out of the government in February 2014. Formerly affiliated with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, subsequently, the PNL joined forces with the Democratic Liberal Party, which itself had suffered a split, when Traian Băsescu left to form the new party Peoples Movement. Ahead of a merger, PDL and PNL formed the Christian Liberal Alliance. The two parties merged on 17 November 2014 under the name of National Liberal Party. UNPR president Gabriel Oprea advanced the variant of launching an independent list in the election as one of two options. While aiming for 10% at the national vote, the party also reaffirmed its commitment to the Centre Left Alliance with the PSD. However, in July 2016, UNPR joined the right-leaning Peoples Movement Party led by former president Traian Băsescu, Oprea, himself under investigation for abuse of power, resigned from the party and declared his intention to leave politics. Conservative MEP Maria Grapini accused PC of betrayal after fusion with PLR, a new nationalist party, United Romania Party, was founded by MP Bogdan Diaconu on 17 August 2014 and became official by court decision on 17 February 2015. Led by Nicușor Dan, a professor, this is a reformist group of newcomers to politics committed to rooting out corruption
26.
Romanian legislative election, 2012
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Legislative elections were held in Romania on 9 December 2012. The Social Liberal Union of Prime Minister Victor Ponta won a majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Despite the severe weather in parts of the country, the turnout was at 41. 7%, higher than the last legislative elections held in 2008 which saw a presence of 39. 20%. The Social Liberal Union obtained a majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, with 60. 07% and 58. 61% of the votes respectively and in MP mandates. Far behind, the Right Romania Alliance came in place with only 16. 72% and 16. 52% of the votes and 80 seats. The Right Romania alliance officially dissolved after the election, peoples Party – Dan Diaconescu and Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania were the only other political groups that won seats in the Senate. Several parties for ethnic minorities also received seats in the Chamber of Deputies. The opposition, represented by Social Liberal Union leaders Victor Ponta and Crin Antonescu, the former Foreign Intelligence Service Director Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu was appointed interim prime minister on 9 February as a result. The government announced the intention to hold legislative and local elections at the same time, initially, the government proposed an election date in November 2012, but as the mayoral mandates expire in June 2012, this was ruled unconstitutional. The local elections were held on 10 June, with an unexpected runoff. President Traian Basescu nominated Opposition leader and president of the Social Democratic Party, however, after PDL, fearing poor results in the elections ahead because of it, appealed the Constitutional Court of Romania who invalidated the law on 27 June 2012 and reinstated the old one. In late 2010 the PSD+PC Alliance broke up without affecting the MEP seat held by the PC, in January 2011 the National Liberal Party – PNL and the Conservative Party – PC formed the Centre Right Alliance – ACD. In February 2011 ACD together with the Social Democratic Party – PSD formed the Social Liberal Union – USL, following the local election, PSD and the National Union for the Progress of Romania – UNPR formed the Centre Left Alliance, thus UNPR joining USL in mid-2012. For the 2012 local election PDL formed various county-level alliances with a range of parties. Eventually Ungureanu joined a party, Civic Force Party, and was elected its president. The alliance registered at the Central Electoral Bureau was called Right Romania Alliance – ARD formed by PDL, PNȚCD, the PDL centred ARD alliance was formed late after the Romanian presidential impeachment referendum,2012. As a result, some opinion polls do not include the ARD, opinion polls that show PDL do not show ARD. UNPR joined USL in August–September 2012, in a sceptical environment, as a result, some opinion polls show both political entities
27.
Romanian legislative election, 2008
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Legislative elections were held in Romania on 30 November 2008. The Democratic Liberal Party won most seats in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, although the alliance headed by the Social Democratic Party won a higher vote share. President Traian Băsescu had wanted to introduce a single-winner two-round electoral system before this election, a new electoral system was introduced as a compromise. A candidate wins in any college in which they obtain more than 50% of the vote. Seats where no candidate wins a majority are then allocated using the DHondt method. If necessary, the number of seats for each chamber is raised, an electoral threshold was applied of 5% for each chamber, or winning at least six colleges for the Chamber of Deputies and three colleges for the Senate by more than 50%. There was an adjustment for the Chamber of Deputies around the national minorities candidates. Compared to the 2004 election, the Social Democratic Party-led alliance fell back a few percent in the vote share. The Democratic Liberal Party and National Liberal Party had competed in the last election together as the Justice and Truth Alliance, the Democratic Liberal Party made significant gains in 2008 to become the largest party in both houses, while the National Liberal Party made smaller gains. Support for the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania was largely unchanged, the Greater Romania Party obtained 13% of the national vote for the Chamber in 2004, but failed to make the 5% threshold for representation this year. Another nationalist party, the New Generation Party, again failed to cross the 5% threshold for representation, the law limits the right to run in any by-election for either of the houses of Parliament to those candidates that are members of the parties with parliamentary groups. That is that for the 2008 -2012 legislature only the PD-L, PSD+PC, PNL, UDMR, the election will take place on 17 January 2010. Only two persons were allowed to run, Radu Stroe, representing the National Liberal Party and Honorius Prigoană, the Social Democratic Party decided not to propose a candidate and to sustain the PNL candidate. Daniela Popa resigned from the Chamber of Deputies as she is about to take office as President of the Insurance Supervising Committee and she is also stepping down from the office of president of the Conservative Party. The PNL decided not to have its own candidate, but to sustain the PSD+PC candidate, PSD proposed PC member and former Romanian Lottery director Liliana Mincă, and PD-L proposed former TV show host Teo Trandafir. Following the death of Ioan Timiş in the Chamber of Deputies constituency no,22, electoral college no.3 are held partial elections on 28 November 2010. All the parties candidates, and the winner is former Minister of Labour, Mariana Câmpeanu. Starting with 2011 all parties are allowed to propose candidates in partial elections, up to this date, the law stated that only parties that already have parliamentary representation may propose candidates
28.
Romanian local elections, 2008
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Local elections were held in Romania on 1 June 2008, with a runoff for mayors on 15 June 2008. On 1 June where elected, all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils, and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest the 41 County Councils, and the Bucharest Municipal General Council. Overall, both PD-L got 28. 37%, PSD got 28. 04%, PNL got 18. 66%, the most notables victories are presented below, The mayoral runoff was held in 1,441 local constituencies. Also, in the communes of Ştefăneşti and Vidra, in Ilfov County the first tour was repeated, if a runoff is needed for the mayors election, it will be held on 24 June. A sentence regarding the cancellation of the process in the commune of Iepureşti. The independent and former Social Democratic Party member Sorin Oprescu won the election for mayor of Bucharest with 54% against Vasile Blaga from the presidents Democratic Liberal Party, overall, Social Democratic Party won about a third of the mayors, while Democratic Liberal Party won slightly less. The legislature of the authorities is of four years, for all the local authorities. If a local elected official cannot serve its term, he is replaced, the members of the Local Councils and County Councils are replaced by the next person on the list elected. The election is not called if the vacancy occurs in the last six months of the term, the newly elected Mayors and Presidents of the County Councils serve the rest of the term. The ad interim Mayors and Presidents of the County Councils are one of the Deputy-Mayors, on 22 December 2008 Emil Boc was sworn in as Prime Minister of Romania. He resigned from the office of Mayor of Cluj-Napoca on 4 January 2009, the Government called for partial election in Cluj-Napoca on 15 February 2009
29.
European Parliament election, 2009 (Romania)
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The European Parliament election of 2009 in Romania was the election of the delegation from Romania to the European Parliament in 2009. While country-wide each of the two parties has won less than 1/3 of the votes, the two became the main political contestants in almost every county. Discounting the votes received by Elena Băsescu who afterwards re-joined PDL, PSD won the first place in 17 counties, UDMR, fourth-largest party country-wide, won the first place in six counties, trailed in the second place five times by PSD, and one time by PDL. PNL, the third largest party country-wide rose above that only in Ilfov County. PRM, the party, was unable to arrive first or second in any of Romanias counties. In the capital city of Bucharest, PDL won with 28. 28% of the votes, with PSD in second with 27. 87%
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