Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Liberal Party is a populist
, centre-right
party in Romania
. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party
. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance. Although he had to formally suspend his leadership of the party when elected president in 2004, the PLD is largely associated with Romanian president Traian Băsescu
, who was previously leader of the Democratic Party as well as being a founding member. The PLD executive leadership has already stated publicly that it would support Băsescu's candidacy for Romania's next presidential elections. The party has also worked to ensure that its positions in the parliament reflect Băsescu's priorities.
In 2008, the Democratic Liberal Party won the most seats in the latest legislative election
in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and formed a new government coalition with the Social Democratic Party
.
, seized power during the Romanian Revolution of 1989
which ended the Communist regime. The organization, originally announced that it is not a party and it would not nominate candidates in the elections it organized. However, in February 1990, it registered as a party and won the elections, with the help of the state-owned media under its control.
Conflicts broke out between FSN leaders Ion Iliescu
and Petre Roman
in early 1992, and this led to the separation of the Iliescu wing under the name of Democratic National Salvation Front
(FDSN), which later became the Social Democratic Party
(PSD).
FSN was defeated by the FDSN in the 1992 legislative election and spent the next four years in opposition. In 1993 the FSN changed its name to the Democratic Party (PSD). In the 1996 legislative election
, PD ran jointly with the now-defunct Romanian Social Democratic Party
(PSDR), under the name Uniunea Social-Democrată (USD). After having ranked third, they joined a governing coalition with the Romanian Democratic Convention
(CDR) and the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR
. From 2000 to 2004 PD has been again in opposition.
In advance of the 2004 elections
the party joined forces with the National Liberal Party
(PNL) to create the Justice and Truth Alliance, whose main purpose was to fight the all-dominating Social Democratic Party.
The Truth and Justice Alliance managed to win around 32% of the votes in both Chambers, not enough for a majority and about 6% less than PSD. Together with its Liberal allies, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
and the Conservative Party
, the Democratic Party was part of the governing coalition until April 2007.
During the Congress of 2005, the Democratic Party members voted in favor of joining the European People's Party
, abandoning the party's previous membership of the Party of European Socialists
and Socialist International
. In 2005, Petre Roman
left the party and together with his followers formed the Democratic Force
.
From mid-2005, the PD's relations with the PNL also became strained due to an ongoing open conflict between Băsescu and Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
, who is also chairman of the PNL. After his presidential victory in 2004, Băsescu appointed Tăriceanu as prime minister. Although he wanted to, he could not constitutionally dismiss him; at least, it took him a while.
On 1 April 2007, Tăriceanu dismissed the ministers of Democratic Party and formed a minority government.
On 15 December 2007 the organisation changed its name to the Democratic Liberal Party and merged with the Liberal Democratic Party
(PLD). The PLD approved the merger in a party congress with 933 in favour, six abstentions and one against.
The political doctrine of the Democratic Party has shifted from social democracy
to centrism
and greater conservatism
since 2004, combined with economic liberalism
and reformism. The party supports a consolidation of the free market and is supportive of Romania's flat tax
rate of 16%. The party also supports reforming the Romanian Constitution
in order to bring about a decentralization in administration and give greater power to the eight development regions
.
. The Liberal Democratic Party was a breakaway fraction of the National Liberal Party
so their deputies were elected on the National Liberal Party list.
Currently, the PDL Chamber of Deputies group has 69 members, of which
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
, centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
party in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It was formed on 15 December 2007, when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Romania)
The Liberal Democratic Party was a political party in Romania, formed in December 2006 as a breakaway group from the National Liberal Party...
. From 2004 to 2007, the Democratic Party was part of the governing Justice and Truth Alliance. Although he had to formally suspend his leadership of the party when elected president in 2004, the PLD is largely associated with Romanian president Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
, who was previously leader of the Democratic Party as well as being a founding member. The PLD executive leadership has already stated publicly that it would support Băsescu's candidacy for Romania's next presidential elections. The party has also worked to ensure that its positions in the parliament reflect Băsescu's priorities.
In 2008, the Democratic Liberal Party won the most seats in the latest legislative election
Romanian legislative election, 2008
Legislative elections were held in Romania on November 30, 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 fractionally higher vote share.-Electoral System:President Traian Băsescu...
in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and formed a new government coalition with the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Romania)
The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
.
History
PD traces its roots in the National Salvation Front (FSN), the body which, under the leadership of Ion IliescuIon Iliescu
Ion Iliescu served as President of Romania from 1990 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004. From 1996 to 2000 and from 2004 until his retirement in 2008, Iliescu was a Senator for the Social Democratic Party , whose honorary president he remains....
, seized power during the Romanian Revolution of 1989
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
which ended the Communist regime. The organization, originally announced that it is not a party and it would not nominate candidates in the elections it organized. However, in February 1990, it registered as a party and won the elections, with the help of the state-owned media under its control.
Conflicts broke out between FSN leaders Ion Iliescu
Ion Iliescu
Ion Iliescu served as President of Romania from 1990 until 1996, and from 2000 until 2004. From 1996 to 2000 and from 2004 until his retirement in 2008, Iliescu was a Senator for the Social Democratic Party , whose honorary president he remains....
and Petre Roman
Petre Roman
Petre Roman is a Romanian politician and a former Prime Minister of Romania. He served from 1989 to 1991, when his government was overthrown by the intervention of the miners led by Miron Cozma. Roman is a member of the Club of Madrid, grouping 66 democratic former heads of state and government...
in early 1992, and this led to the separation of the Iliescu wing under the name of Democratic National Salvation Front
Democratic National Salvation Front
The Democratic National Salvation Front was a political party formed in Romania by Ion Iliescu and his supporters upon the breaking of the ruling National Salvation Front on April 7, 1992. The smaller wing led by Petre Roman continued using the brand FSN...
(FDSN), which later became the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Romania)
The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
(PSD).
FSN was defeated by the FDSN in the 1992 legislative election and spent the next four years in opposition. In 1993 the FSN changed its name to the Democratic Party (PSD). In the 1996 legislative election
Romanian legislative election, 1996
Legislative elections were held in Romania on 3 November 1996, together with the Presidential election. The elections were won by the Romanian Democratic Convention, an alliance of liberal, Christian Democratic and green parties. This marked the first time that the Party of Social Democracy was out...
, PD ran jointly with the now-defunct Romanian Social Democratic Party
Romanian Social Democratic Party (defunct)
The Romanian Social Democratic Party was a social-democratic political party in Romania. It published the magazine România Muncitoare, and later Socialismul, Lumea Nouă, and Libertatea.-Early party:...
(PSDR), under the name Uniunea Social-Democrată (USD). After having ranked third, they joined a governing coalition with the Romanian Democratic Convention
Romanian Democratic Convention
The Romanian Democratic Convention was an electoral alliance of several political parties of Romania, active from early 1992 until 2000....
(CDR) and the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
The Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, is the main political organisation representing the ethnic Hungarians of Romania....
. From 2000 to 2004 PD has been again in opposition.
In advance of the 2004 elections
Romanian legislative election, 2004
The Romanian legislative election of 2004 was held on 28 November 2004. 137 seats in the Senate of Romania and 314 seats in the Chamber of Deputies were up for election.The 2004 legislative election was held simultaneously with the presidential election...
the party joined forces with the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
(PNL) to create the Justice and Truth Alliance, whose main purpose was to fight the all-dominating Social Democratic Party.
The Truth and Justice Alliance managed to win around 32% of the votes in both Chambers, not enough for a majority and about 6% less than PSD. Together with its Liberal allies, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
The Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, is the main political organisation representing the ethnic Hungarians of Romania....
and the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (Romania)
The Conservative Party of Romania is a political party formed in 1991, after the fall of Communism, under the name of the Romanian Humanist Party . From 2005 until December 3, 2006, the party was a junior member of the ruling coalition...
, the Democratic Party was part of the governing coalition until April 2007.
During the Congress of 2005, the Democratic Party members voted in favor of joining the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
, abandoning the party's previous membership of the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
and Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
. In 2005, Petre Roman
Petre Roman
Petre Roman is a Romanian politician and a former Prime Minister of Romania. He served from 1989 to 1991, when his government was overthrown by the intervention of the miners led by Miron Cozma. Roman is a member of the Club of Madrid, grouping 66 democratic former heads of state and government...
left the party and together with his followers formed the Democratic Force
Democratic Force (Romania)
The Democratic Force is a social-democratic political party in Romania without parliamentary representation. It is led by the Senator and former Premier Petre Roman....
.
From mid-2005, the PD's relations with the PNL also became strained due to an ongoing open conflict between Băsescu and Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Calin Popescu-Tariceanu
Călin Constantin Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu is a Romanian politician. He was the Prime Minister of Romania between 29 December 2004 and 22 December 2008...
, who is also chairman of the PNL. After his presidential victory in 2004, Băsescu appointed Tăriceanu as prime minister. Although he wanted to, he could not constitutionally dismiss him; at least, it took him a while.
On 1 April 2007, Tăriceanu dismissed the ministers of Democratic Party and formed a minority government.
On 15 December 2007 the organisation changed its name to the Democratic Liberal Party and merged with the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Romania)
The Liberal Democratic Party was a political party in Romania, formed in December 2006 as a breakaway group from the National Liberal Party...
(PLD). The PLD approved the merger in a party congress with 933 in favour, six abstentions and one against.
Policy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
to centrism
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
and greater conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
since 2004, combined with economic liberalism
Economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
and reformism. The party supports a consolidation of the free market and is supportive of Romania's flat tax
Flat tax
A flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
rate of 16%. The party also supports reforming the Romanian Constitution
Constitution of Romania
The 1991 Constitution of Romania, adopted on 21 November 1991, voted in the referendum of 8 December 1991 and introduced on the same day, is the current fundamental law that establishes the structure of the government of Romania, the rights and obligations of the country's citizens, and its mode...
in order to bring about a decentralization in administration and give greater power to the eight development regions
Development regions of Romania
The development regions of Romania refer to the eight regional divisions created in Romania in 1998 in order to better co-ordinate regional development as Romania progressed towards accession to the European Union. The development regions correspond to NUTS II-level divisions in European Union...
.
Democratic Liberal Party - Chamber of Deputies group (2008)
The Democratic Liberal Party was formed when the Democratic Party merged with the Liberal Democratic PartyLiberal Democratic Party (Romania)
The Liberal Democratic Party was a political party in Romania, formed in December 2006 as a breakaway group from the National Liberal Party...
. The Liberal Democratic Party was a breakaway fraction of the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
so their deputies were elected on the National Liberal Party list.
Currently, the PDL Chamber of Deputies group has 69 members, of which
- 38 were elected on Democratic Party (PD) list: (Cristian Rǎdulescu, Daniel Buda, Valentin Adrian Iliescu, Costică Canacheu, Gheorghe Albu, Gheorghe Barbu, Cornel Ştefan Bardan, Iulian-Gabriel Bîrsan, Anca-Daniela Boagiu, Ionela Bruchental-Pop, Diana Maria Buşoi, Anca Constantinescu, Radu-Cătălin Drăguş, Stelian Duţu, Elena Ehling, Stelian Fuia, Traian Constantin Igaş, Cristian Ilie, Radu Lambrino, Laurenţiu Mironescu, Liviu Alexandru Miroşeanu, Alexandru Mocanu, Petru Movilă, Ioan Oltean, Constantin Petrea, Marcel Adrian Piteiu, Corneliu Popescu, Cezar Florin Preda, Ioan Dumitru Puchianu, Marius Rogin, Marcel Laurenţiu Romanescu, Valentin Rusu, Petre Străchinaru, Valeriu Tabără, Eugen Constantin Uricec, Mihaela Adriana Vasil, Horia Văsioiu, Iulian Vladu)
- 14 were elected on National Liberal Party (PNL)National Liberal Party (Romania)The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
list: (Marian Sorin Paveliu, Romică Andreica, Cristian Alexandru Boureanu, Dumitru Gheorghe Mircea Coşea, Marian Hoinaru, Mircea Teodor Iustian, Corneliu Momanu, Viorel Oancea, Dumitru Pardău, Gabriel Sandu, Cornel Ştirbeţ, Raluca Turcan, Petre Ungureanu, Claudius Mihail Zaharia) - 10 were elected on Greater Romania Party (PRM)Greater Romania PartyThe Greater Romania Party is a Romanian radical right-wing, ultra-nationalist political party, led by Corneliu Vadim Tudor. The party is sometimes referred to in English as the Great Romania Party....
list:(Liviu Almăşan, William Gabriel Brînză, Bogdan Cantaragiu, Petru Călian, Alexandru Ciocâlteu, Liviu Codîrlă, Daniel Ionescu, Dănuţ Liga, Dumitru Puzdrea, Ion Stoica) - 6 were elected on Social Democratic Party (PSD)Social Democratic Party (Romania)The Social Democratic Party is the major social-democratic political party in Romania. It was formed in 1992, after the post-communist National Salvation Front broke apart. It adopted its present name after a merger with a minor social-democratic party in 2001. Since its formation, it has always...
list: (Constantin Amarie, Obuf Cătălin Ovidiu Buhăianu, Viorel Constantinescu, Petru Lificiu, Gheorghe Sârb, Constantin Tudor) - 1 was elected on Conservative Party (PC)Conservative Party (Romania)The Conservative Party of Romania is a political party formed in 1991, after the fall of Communism, under the name of the Romanian Humanist Party . From 2005 until December 3, 2006, the party was a junior member of the ruling coalition...
list:(Graţiela Denisa Iordache)
Notable current and former members
- Petre RomanPetre RomanPetre Roman is a Romanian politician and a former Prime Minister of Romania. He served from 1989 to 1991, when his government was overthrown by the intervention of the miners led by Miron Cozma. Roman is a member of the Club of Madrid, grouping 66 democratic former heads of state and government...
- left and founded the Forţa DemocratăDemocratic Force (Romania)The Democratic Force is a social-democratic political party in Romania without parliamentary representation. It is led by the Senator and former Premier Petre Roman....
(Democratic Force) party; - Traian BăsescuTraian BasescuTraian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
- elected President of RomaniaPresident of RomaniaThe President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
, membership suspended during the mandate. - Emil BocEmil BocEmil Boc is the Prime Minister of Romania, having served since December 2008. In June 2004, he was elected Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania. Boc is also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, who designated him as Prime Minister in 2008. On October 13, 2009, his...
- Mayor of Cluj-NapocaCluj-NapocaCluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, since December 2004, the leader of PD-L. From 22 December 2008 he is the new Prime Minister of Romania. - Adriean VideanuAdriean VideanuAdriean Videanu is a businessman and former mayor of Bucharest, Romania. He is also a vice president of the Democratic Liberal Party of Romania, which is led by Emil Boc and the Minister of Economy in the Boc Cabinet, from 22 December 2008.A businessman in the marble and granite industry, Videanu...
- former Mayor of BucharestMayor of BucharestThe Mayor of Bucharest , sometimes known as the General Mayor, is the head of the Bucharest City Hall in Bucharest, Romania, which is responsible for city-wide affairs, such as the water system, the transport system and the main boulevards...
, actual Minister of Economy - Radu BerceanuRadu BerceanuRadu Mircea Berceanu is a Romanian engineer and politician. A member of the Democratic Liberal Party , he was a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Dolj County from 1990 to 2004, and has sat in the Romanian Senate since 2004 , representing the same county...
(Arad Bercovici)- Senator, former Minister of Transportation, Constructions and Tourism, actual Minister of Transports and Infrastructure. - Cristian Rădulescu, MP, PD Leader in the Chamber of Deputies
- Gheorghe Albu, MP
- Roberta Anastase, MP, President of the Chamber of Deputies
- Petru FilipPetru FilipPetru Filip is a Romanian politician, member of the Liberal Democratic Party currently holding the uninominal seat for College 3 Oradea Sud-Holod-Salonta in the Senate of Romania....
, MEP, former Mayor of the municipality of OradeaOradeaOradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:... - Ioan Olteanu, MP
- Cezar Preda, MP
- Paunel Tise
- Alexandru Sassu (left for PSD)
- Bogdan Niculescu Duvăz (left for PSD together with Sassu)
- Daniel Buda
- Victor BabiucVictor BabiucVictor Babiuc is a Romanian jurist and politician. A former member of the Democratic Party and of the National Liberal Party , he was a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Bucharest in 1990 and from 1992 to 1996, and for Braşov County from 1996 to 2004. In the Petre Roman cabinet, he...
, formerly in charge of the Ministry of Defence (currently member of the National Liberal Party - PNLPNL- Politics :* National Liberal Party * National Liberal Party * National Liberal Party * National Liberal Party * National Liberal Party for defunct parties see National Liberal Party- Other uses :...
) - Radu VasileRadu VasileRadu Vasile is a Romanian politician, historian and poet.-Education and Professional Activity:*1967 - Graduate, with exceptional results, of the Faculty of History - University of Bucharest...
, former Prime Minister of Romania (came from the Christian Democratic Party-PNŢCD) - Anca Boagiu, former minister of European Integration
- Vasile BlagaVasile BlagaVasile Blaga is a Romanian politician and the current Speaker of the Upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament, the Senate, and a former Minister of Regional Development and Housing and twice former Minister of Administration and Internal Affairs....
, former Minister of Administration and Interior, actual Minister of Development and Housing - Cristian IlieCristian IlieCristian Ilie is a Romanian politician and former member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies. He is a member of the Democratic Party , part of the European People's Party–European Democrats, and became an MP on 19 March 2007, serving until December 2008.He was a member of the and of the and...
, MP - Elena UdreaElena UdreaElena Gabriela Udrea is a Romanian politician. A member of the Democratic Liberal Party , she has been a member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies for Bucharest since 2008...
, Minister of Tourism (since 2008)