Liberalism and radicalism in Romania
Encyclopedia
This article gives an overview of Liberalism
and Radicalism
in Romania
. It is limited to liberal parties
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament
. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in this scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary for a party to have actually labeled itself as a liberal party.
(Partidul Naţional Liberal, member LI
, ELDR) is a right-wing liberal party.
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and Radicalism
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
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 is limited to liberal parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in this scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary for a party to have actually labeled itself as a liberal party.
Background
Liberalism has always during democratic periods been of the major forces in Romania, mainly organized in the National Liberal Party. Often there were spin-offs of this party. At the moment the National Liberal PartyNational 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...
(Partidul Naţional Liberal, member LI
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
, ELDR) is a right-wing liberal party.
Precursors
- 1822: Ionică TăutuIonica TautuIonică Tăutu was a Moldavian low-ranking boyar, Enlightenment-inspired pamphleteer, and craftsman .-Constitutional project:...
, representing a group of low-ranking boyars in MoldaviaMoldaviaMoldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, proposed a constitutionConstitutionA constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
al project with republican and liberal principles - 1834: Ion Câmpineanu leads the liberal opposition to Russian influenceRegulamentul OrganicRegulamentul Organic was a quasi-constitutional organic law enforced in 1834–1835 by the Imperial Russian authorities in Moldavia and Wallachia...
in WallachiaWallachiaWallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
's National Assembly - 1840: Mitică Filipescu led a radical, carbonariCarbonariThe Carbonari were groups of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th-century Italy. The Italian Carbonari may have further influenced other revolutionary groups in Spain, France, Portugal and possibly Russia. Although their goals often had a patriotic and liberal focus, they lacked a...
-inspired conspiracyConspiracy (political)In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
in Wallachia - 1840: Mihail KogălniceanuMihail KogalniceanuMihail Kogălniceanu was a Moldavian-born Romanian liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania October 11, 1863, after the 1859 union of the Danubian Principalities under Domnitor Alexander John Cuza, and later served as Foreign Minister under Carol I. He...
published the short-lived Dacia LiterarăDacia Literara- History :Founded by Mihail Kogălniceanu and printed in Iaşi, it was short-lived—having lasted only from January to June 1840. Dacia Literară was a Romantic nationalist and liberal magazine, engendering a literary society.- External links :*...
, a Romantic nationalistRomantic nationalismRomantic nationalism is the form of nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs...
and liberal magazine, engendering a literary societyLiterary societyA literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of literature or a specific writer. Modern literary societies typically promote research about their chosen author or genre, publish newsletters, and hold... - 1843: Nicolae BălcescuNicolae BalcescuNicolae Bălcescu was a Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist, and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution.-Early life:...
and others led the Frăţia radical conspiracy in Wallachia - 1845: Radical students from both Wallachia and Moldavia founded Societatea Studenţilor Români (the "Society of Romanian Students") in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
- 1848: The unsuccessful Moldavian revolution, during which Moldavian liberals issued a Petition-Proclamation
- 1848: The liberal-minded Blaj Assemblies in TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, in the context of revolutions inside the Austrian EmpireRevolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areasFrom March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,... - 1848: The Wallachian revolution - liberals formed a Provisional Government in BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, and were divided over the issue of land reformLand reform[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
, with a radical current forming around Bălcescu - 1856: The liberal current formed the majority in Partida NaţionalăPartida NationalaThe Partida Naţională was a liberal Romanian political party active between 1856 and 1859. It was a loose group which supported the union of the Danubian Principalities....
, a loose group supporting the union of the Danubian PrincipalitiesDanubian PrincipalitiesDanubian Principalities was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg Monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in order to designate an area on the lower Danube with a common... - 1859: After the union, liberals formed a distinct faction in the Parliament of RomaniaParliament of RomaniaThe Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
- 1864: DomnitorDomnitorDomnitor was the official title of the ruler of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia between 1859 and 1866....
Alexander John CuzaAlexander John CuzaAlexander John Cuza was a Moldavian-born Romanian politician who ruled as the first Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia between 1859 and 1866.-Early life:...
established a personal regime, in order to pass liberal legislation against mounting opposition - 1866: Mainstream liberals supported Cuza's removal from the throne; a faction of the liberal current opposed to the new constitution1866 Constitution of RomaniaThe 1866 Constitution of Romania was the fundamental law that capped a period of nation-building in the Danubian Principalities, which had united in 1859. Drafted in a short time and using as its model the 1831 Constitution of Belgium, then considered Europe's most liberal, it was substantially...
formed the Moldavian-based Fracţiunea liberă şi independentă, influenced by Simion BărnuţiuSimion BarnutiuSimion Bărnuţiu was a Transylvanian-born Romanian historian, academic, philosopher, jurist, and liberal politician. A leader of the 1848 revolutionary movement of Transylvanian Romanians, he represented its Eastern Rite Catholic wing...
and led by Nicolae IonescuNicolae IonescuNicolae Ionescu was a Romanian politician and publisher. He was one of the founding members of the Romanian Academy.-References:...
National Liberal Party
- 1875: The liberal current organised itself in the National Liberal PartyNational 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...
(Partidul Naţional-Liberal), led by Ion BrătianuIon BratianuIon C. Brătianu was one of the major political figures of 19th century Romania. He was the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vintilă Brătianu... - 1884: A faction formed the Radical Party, led by C.A. Rosetti and George Panu
- 1899: The National Liberal Party absorbs the right-wing of the Romanian Social-Democratic Workers' Party
- 1918: The Peasants' PartyPeasants' Party (Romania)The Peasants' Party was a political party in post-World War I Romania that espoused a left-wing ideology partly connected with Agrarianism and Populism, and aimed to represent the interests of the Romanian peasantry. Through many of its leaders, the party was connected with Romanian populism , a...
absorbs a left-wing tendency in the National Liberal Party formed around Constantin StereConstantin StereConstantin G. Stere or Constantin Sterea was a Romanian writer, jurist, politician, ideologue of the Poporanist trend, and, in March 1906, co-founder Constantin G. Stere or Constantin Sterea (Romanian; , Konstantin Yegorovich Stere or Константин Георгиевич Стере, Konstantin Georgiyevich Stere;... - 1929: A faction formed the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Brătianu
- 1931: A faction formed the Liberal Democratic Party, which remained unsuccessful. The same year a majority of the Brătianu party returned in the National Liberal Party
- 1938: The rest of the Brătianu party returned in the National Liberal Party
- 1938: The party is banned by King Carol IICarol II of RomaniaCarol II reigned as King of Romania from 8 June 1930 until 6 September 1940. Eldest son of Ferdinand, King of Romania, and his wife, Queen Marie, a daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second eldest son of Queen Victoria...
- 1944: The party resumed its activities
- 1944: A faction formed the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Tătărescu
- 1947: The party is banned by the communist regimeCommunist RomaniaCommunist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
- 1990: The party is refounded by Radu CâmpeanuRadu CâmpeanuRadu-Anton Câmpeanu is a Romanian politician. He was president of the National Liberal Party between 1990 and 1995, a party he helped re-found after the fall of communism, and a Senator between 1990 and 1992 and also between 2004 and 2008. He ran against Ion Iliescu in the 1990 Romanian...
- 1990: A youth faction of the National Liberal Party formed the ⇒ Liberal Party Youth Wing
- 1991: A faction formed the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention
- 1995: The ⇒ Liberal party 1993 merged into the National Liberal Party, the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu seceded from the party
- 1998: The party absorbed the ⇒ Civic Alliance Party
- 2002: The Alliance for Romania (Alianţa pentru România) merged into the National Liberal Party
- 2003: The Union of Right-Wing Forces (Uniunea Forţelor de Dreapta) and the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu merged into the party
National Liberal Party-Brătianu
- 1929: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-BrătianuNational Liberal Party-BratianuThe National Liberal Party-Brătianu was a right-wing political party in Romania, formed as a splinter group from the main liberal faction, the National Liberals. For its symbol, PNL-Brătianu chose three vertical bars, placed at equal distance from each other...
(Partidul Naţional-Liberal-Brătianu) - 1931: Most of the party returned to the National Liberal Party
- 1938: The party reunited with the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party-Tătărescu
- 1944: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-Tătărescu (Partidul Naţional-Liberal (Tătărescu))
- 1945: The party ran in elections with the Romanian Communist PartyRomanian Communist PartyThe Romanian Communist Party was a communist political party in Romania. Successor to the Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to communist revolution and the disestablishment of Greater Romania. The PCR was a minor and illegal grouping for much of the...
- 1947: The party is banned by the communist regime
From National Liberal Party Youth Wing to Liberal Party 1993
- 1990: A youth faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party Youth Wing (Partidul Naţional-Liberal Aripa Tînără)
- 1992: The party was renamed Liberal Party (Partidul Liberal), led by Horia Rusu
- 1993: The Liberal Party merged with the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention and the Group for Moral and Political Reforms into the Liberal Party 1993 (Partidul Liberal 1993), joined by a faction of the ⇒ Civic Alliance Party
- 1995: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party
Civic Alliance Party
- 1991: A section of the Civic AllianceCivic Alliance FoundationThe Civic Alliance Foundation is a Romanian non-governmental organization . It is one of the largest Romanian NGOs, working for the consolidation of a civil society in the aftermath of the 42-year long communist regime. The AC has subsidiaries in 36 of the 41 counties, overseen by a 27-member...
non-governmental organizationNon-governmental organizationA non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
established the Civic Alliance Party (Partidul Alianţa Civică), led by Nicolae ManolescuNicolae ManolescuNicolae Manolescu is a Romanian literary critic. As an editor of România Literară literary magazine, he has reached a record in reviewing books for almost 30 years... - 1993: A faction joined the ⇒ Liberal Party 1993
- 1998: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention
- 1991: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention (Partidul Naţional-Liberal-Convenţia Democrată)
- 1993: The party merged into the ⇒ Liberal Party 1993
National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu
- 1995: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu (Partidul Naţional-Liberal-Câmpeanu)
- 2003: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party
PNL leaders
| No. | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ion Brătianu Ion Bratianu Ion C. Brătianu was one of the major political figures of 19th century Romania. He was the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vintilă Brătianu... |
1875 | 1891 |
| 2 | Dumitru Brătianu | 1891 | 1892 |
| 3 | Dimitrie Sturdza Dimitrie Sturdza Dimitrie Sturdza was a Romanian statesman of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884.-Biography:Born in Iaşi, Moldavia, and educated there at the Academia Mihăileană, he continued his studies in Germany, took part in the political movements of the time,... |
1892 | 1908 |
| 4 | Ion I. C. Brătianu Ion I. C. Bratianu Ion I. C. Brătianu was a Romanian politician, leader of the National Liberal Party , the Prime Minister of Romania for five terms, and Foreign Minister on several occasions; he was the eldest son of statesman and PNL leader Ion Brătianu, the brother of Vintilă and Dinu Brătianu, and the father of... |
1908 | 24 November 1927 |
| 5 | Vintilă Brătianu Vintila Bratianu Vintilă Brătianu was a Romanian politician who served as Prime Minister of Romania between 24 November 1927 and 2 November 1928.Vintilă and his brothers Ion and Dinu were the leaders of the National Liberal Party of Romania... |
November/December 1927 | 1930 |
| 6 | Ion Duca | 1930 | 30 December 1933 |
| 7 | Dinu Brătianu Dinu Bratianu Dinu Brătianu , born Constantin I. C. Brătianu, was a Romanian politician, who led the National Liberal Party starting with 1934.-Early career:... |
December 1933 | 1948 |
| none (party abolished by the new communist Communist Romania Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions... government) |
1948 | 1990 | |
| 8 | Radu Câmpeanu Radu Câmpeanu Radu-Anton Câmpeanu is a Romanian politician. He was president of the National Liberal Party between 1990 and 1995, a party he helped re-found after the fall of communism, and a Senator between 1990 and 1992 and also between 2004 and 2008. He ran against Ion Iliescu in the 1990 Romanian... |
1990 | 1993 |
| 9 | Mircea Ionescu Quintus | 1993 | 2001 |
| 10 | Valeriu Stoica Valeriu Stoica Valeriu Stoica is a Romanian politician and academic. A professor of civil law at the University of Bucharest, he became a member of the National Liberal Party in 1990, and was first vice-president of the party between 1997 and 2001 and president between 2001 and 2002... |
2001 | 2002 |
| 11 | Theodor Stolojan Theodor Stolojan Theodor Dumitru Stolojan is a Romanian politician. An economist by training, he is a leader of the Democratic-Liberal Party. He previously served as Prime minister of Romania from September 1991 to November 1992. He and his wife Elena have a son, Vlad Stolojan, and a daughter, Ada Palea... |
2002 | October 2004 |
| 12 | 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... |
October 2004 | March 2009 |
| 13 | Crin Antonescu Crin Antonescu George-Crin-Laurenţiu Antonescu is a Romanian politician, currently serving as President of the National Liberal Party . He was a candidate for the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2009. He is a member of the Senate, his election having taken place during the 2008 legislative election... |
March 2009 | |
See also
- History of Romania
- Politics of RomaniaPolitics of RomaniaPolitics of Romania take place in a framework of a semi-presidential parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Romania is the head of government and the President of Romania exercises the functions of head of state. Romania has a multi-party system. Executive...
- List of political parties in Romania