Romanian local election, 2008
Encyclopedia
Local elections were held in Romania
on June 1, 2008, with a runoff
for mayors on June 15, 2008.
On June 1 where elected:
On 17 April 2008, the Social Democratic Party
and the Conservative Party
announced they would form a political alliance for these elections. For the first time the presidents of the County Councils were elected directly by the people, and not by later negotiations inside the County Council; other notable characteristics included a substantial number of Roma candidates standing, as well as some representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church
. Turnout was low, with fewer than half of the eligible voters turning out to vote; in most big cities, except for Constanţa
(incumbent PSD member Radu Ştefan Mazăre
won) and Cluj-Napoca
(incumbent Democratic Liberal Party
member Emil Boc
won), the election was not decided in the first round; in Bucharest
, PDL member Vasile Blaga
and independent Sorin Oprescu
(former member of the PSD) will meet in the run-off.
Overall, both PD-L got 28.37%, PSD got 28.04%, PNL got 18.66%, and UDMR got 5,43% of the vote.
The most notables victories ("TOP 10") are presented bellow:
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, due to the cancellation of the election held on 1 June in the two communes. If a runoff is needed for the mayor's election, it will be held on 24 June. A sentence regarding the cancellation of the electoral process in the commune of Iepureşti
, Giurgiu
is pending from the Central Electoral Bureau.
The independent and former member Sorin Oprescu
won the election for mayor of Bucharest
with 54% against Vasile Blaga
from the president's . Overall, won about a third of the mayors, while won slightly less.
In Voineşti
, a tiny town in northeastern Romania
, the incumbent mayor Neculai Ivaşcu, who died on the election day, was nonetheless elected over his rival, Gheorghe Dobreanu of the ; however, the election commission declared the runner-up elected, but said they would appeal that decision.
, and first past the post
respectively, no later than 90 days from the vacancy of the post the Government
must announce the day the early election is called. 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 (elected by the Local Council, if the settlement has more than one Deputy-Mayor), and one of the Vice President of the County Council, elected by the County Council.
was sworn in as Prime Minister of Romania
. He resigned from the office of Mayor of Cluj-Napoca on the 4 January 2009. The Government
called for partial election in Cluj-Napoca
on 15 February 2009. The three main competitors are, as of 24 January 2009, the incumbent ad interim
Mayor of
Cluj-Napoca
, Sorin Apostu (PD-L
), former Cluj County Council President
and current Senator
Marius Nicoară
(PNL
), and former Cluj-Napoca
Police commander
, Teodor Pop-Puşcaş (PSD
). The campaign will start on 31 January 2009.
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...
on June 1, 2008, with a runoff
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
for mayors on June 15, 2008.
On June 1 where elected:
- all the villages, communes, cities, and municipal cluncils (Local Councils), and the Sectors Local Councils of 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....
- the 41 County Councils , and the Bucharest Municipal General Council .
- the 41 Presidents of the County Councils
- all the mayors
- of the villages, cities, and municipalities
- of the Sectors of BucharestSectors of BucharestThe Municipality of Bucharest is divided into six administrative sectors , each of which has their own mayor and council, and has responsibility over local affairs, such as secondary streets, parks, schools and the cleaning services.Each of the six sectors contains a number of informal districts ...
- The General Mayor of The Municipality of Bucharest
On 17 April 2008, 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...
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...
announced they would form a political alliance for these elections. For the first time the presidents of the County Councils were elected directly by the people, and not by later negotiations inside the County Council; other notable characteristics included a substantial number of Roma candidates standing, as well as some representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Romanian Orthodox Church
The Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...
. Turnout was low, with fewer than half of the eligible voters turning out to vote; in most big cities, except for Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
(incumbent PSD member Radu Ştefan Mazăre
Radu Stefan Mazare
Radu Ştefan Mazăre is a Romanian politician. He served two terms as Mayor of Constanţa, beginning his career as an independent, but eventually becoming a Social Democratic Party member...
won) and Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-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...
(incumbent Democratic Liberal Party
Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)
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...
member Emil Boc
Emil Boc
Emil 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...
won), the election was not decided in the first round; in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest 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....
, PDL member Vasile Blaga
Vasile Blaga
Vasile 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....
and independent Sorin Oprescu
Sorin Oprescu
Sorin Mircea Oprescu is a Romanian independent politician and medical doctor who is currently serving as Mayor of Bucharest.-Political activity:...
(former member of the PSD) will meet in the run-off.
Overall, both PD-L got 28.37%, PSD got 28.04%, PNL got 18.66%, and UDMR got 5,43% of the vote.
Mayors
| Name | Political Party | City | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaus Johannis Klaus Johannis Klaus Werner Iohannis is a Romanian politician of German origin. Since 2000 he has been the mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, representing the small centrist Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania. He has been re-elected by landslide votes in 2004 and 2008... |
FDGR Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania The Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania is a centrist political party representing the German minority in Romania. It was founded at the end of 1989. Despite originally being a German minority party, the party is popular also with many ethnic Romanians, notably in parts of Transylvania... |
Sibiu Sibiu Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt... |
83.2% |
| Florin Cârciumaru | 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... |
Târgu Jiu Târgu Jiu Târgu Jiu is the capital of Gorj County, Oltenia, Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu. Eight villages are administered by the city: Bârseşti, Drăgoeni, Iezureni, Polata, Preajba Mare, Româneşti, Slobozia and Ursaţi.-History:The city takes its name... |
82.5% |
| Darius Vâlcov | PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Slatina Slatina, Romania Slatina is the capital city of Olt county, Romania, on the river Olt.The city administers one village, Cireaşov.-History:The town of Slatina was first mentioned on January 20, 1368 in an official document issued by Vladislav I Vlaicu, Prince of Wallachia. The document stated that merchants from... |
81.07% |
| Gheorghe Ştefan Gheorghe Stefan (politician) Gheorghe Ştefan is a Romanian politician and mayor of Piatra Neamţ and owner of FC Ceahlăul Piatra Neamţ. He is currently a member of the Democratic Liberal Party.... |
PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Piatra Neamţ Piatra Neamt Piatra Neamț , , ; is the capital city of Neamţ County, in the historical region of Moldavia, eastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Romania... |
79.3% |
| Liviu Negoiţă Liviu Negoita Liviu Gheorghe "Livache" Negoiţă is a Romanian politician and lawyer, member of the Democratic Liberal Party and the mayor of Bucharest's Sector 3 since 2004.-Biography:... |
PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Sector 3 (Bucharest) Sector 3 (Bucharest) Sector 3 is a sector in Bucharest.-Quarters:*Balta Albă*Centrul Civic*Dristor*Dudeşti*Lipscani*Muncii*Titan*Unirii*Vitan*Timpuri Noi*Decebal-Politics:... |
79.0% |
| Constantin Hogea | PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Tulcea Tulcea Tulcea is a city in Dobrogea, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea county, and has a population of 92,379 as of 2007. One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.- History :... |
73.4% |
| Tudor Pendiuc | 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... |
Piteşti Pitesti Pitești is a city in Romania, located on the Argeș River. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated on the A1 freeway connecting it directly to the national capital Bucharest,... |
72.0% |
| Emil Boc Emil Boc Emil 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... |
PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Cluj-Napoca Cluj-Napoca Cluj-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... |
70.2% |
| George Scripcaru George Scripcaru George Scripcaru is a Romanian politician and the mayor of Braşov since 2004. In 2011 he was elected as one of the 15 vice-presidents of the Democratic Liberal Party.... |
PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Braşov Brasov Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania.... |
69.8% |
| Radu Ştefan Mazăre Radu Stefan Mazare Radu Ştefan Mazăre is a Romanian politician. He served two terms as Mayor of Constanţa, beginning his career as an independent, but eventually becoming a Social Democratic Party member... |
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... |
Constanţa Constanta Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region.... |
67.9% |
| Gheorghe Falcă Gheorghe Falca Gheorghe Falcă is a Romanian politician. He is the current mayor of Arad, and has held office since 2004. He is also President of the Romanian Municipalities Association.-References:... |
PD-L Democratic Liberal Party (Romania) 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... |
Arad Arad, Romania Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training... |
67.6% |
Local Councils
County Council Presidents
County Councils
Runoff
Vidra, Ilfov
Vidra is a commune in the south of Ilfov county, Romania. Its name means "otter". It is composed of three villages: Creţeşti, Sinteşti and Vidra....
, in Ilfov County
Ilfov County
Ilfov is the county that surrounds Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It used to be largely rural, but after the fall of communism, many of the county's villages and communes developed into high-income commuter towns, which act like suburbs or satellites of Bucharest...
the first tour was repeated, due to the cancellation of the election held on 1 June in the two communes. If a runoff is needed for the mayor's election, it will be held on 24 June. A sentence regarding the cancellation of the electoral process in the commune of Iepureşti
Iepuresti
Iepureşti is a commune located in Giurgiu County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Băneşti, Chirculeşti, Gorneni, Iepureşti, Stâlpu and Valter Mărăcineanu....
, Giurgiu
Giurgiu County
Giurgiu is a county of Romania, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Giurgiu.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 297,859 and the population density was 84/km².* Romanians – over 96%* Roma – 3.5%, and others.- Geography :...
is pending from the Central Electoral Bureau.
The independent and former member Sorin Oprescu
Sorin Oprescu
Sorin Mircea Oprescu is a Romanian independent politician and medical doctor who is currently serving as Mayor of Bucharest.-Political activity:...
won the election for mayor of Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest 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....
with 54% against Vasile Blaga
Vasile Blaga
Vasile 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....
from the president's . Overall, won about a third of the mayors, while won slightly less.
In Voineşti
Voinesti, Vaslui
Voineşti is a commune in Vaslui County, Romania. It is composed of eleven villages: Avrămeşti, Bănceşti, Corobăneşti, Gârdeşti, Mărăşeşti, Obârşeni, Obârşenii Lingurari, Rugăria, Stâncăşeni, Uricari and Voineşti....
, a tiny town in northeastern 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...
, the incumbent mayor Neculai Ivaşcu, who died on the election day, was nonetheless elected over his rival, Gheorghe Dobreanu of the ; however, the election commission declared the runner-up elected, but said they would appeal that decision.
Notable partial election
The legislature of the local authorities is of four years, for all the local authorities. If a local elected official cannot serve its term (death, incompatibility or resignation), he (or she) is replaced. The members of the Local Councils and County Councils are replaced by the next person on the list elected. For the Mayors and Presidents of the County Councils, elected on a two-round systemTwo-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
, and first past the post
Plurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
respectively, no later than 90 days from the vacancy of the post the Government
Government of Romania
The Government of Romania forms one half of the country's executive branch . It is headed by the Prime-Minister, and consists of the Ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, and the 42 Prefectures...
must announce the day the early election is called. 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
Ad interim
The Latin phrase ad interim literally means "in the time between" denotes the meaning of "in the meantime", "for an intervening time" or "temporarily" in the English language...
Mayors and Presidents of the County Councils are one of the Deputy-Mayors (elected by the Local Council, if the settlement has more than one Deputy-Mayor), and one of the Vice President of the County Council, elected by the County Council.
Cluj-Napoca
On 22 December 2008 Emil BocEmil Boc
Emil 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...
was sworn in as Prime Minister of Romania
Prime Minister of Romania
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, and the Cabinet was called The Council of Ministers...
. He resigned from the office of Mayor of Cluj-Napoca on the 4 January 2009. The Government
Government of Romania
The Government of Romania forms one half of the country's executive branch . It is headed by the Prime-Minister, and consists of the Ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, and the 42 Prefectures...
called for partial election in Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-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...
on 15 February 2009. The three main competitors are, as of 24 January 2009, the incumbent ad interim
Ad interim
The Latin phrase ad interim literally means "in the time between" denotes the meaning of "in the meantime", "for an intervening time" or "temporarily" in the English language...
Mayor of
Politics of Cluj-Napoca
The last general local election was hold in 1 June 2008. The threshold was 5%. On the 15 February 2009, a by-election was held for the office of Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, following the nomination of the previous Mayor, Emil Boc as Prime-Minister.- List of mayors :...
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-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...
, Sorin Apostu (PD-L
Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)
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...
), former Cluj County Council President
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
and current Senator
Senate of Romania
The Senate of Romania is the upper house in the bicameral Parliament of Romania. It has 137 seats , to which members are elected by direct popular vote, using Mixed member proportional representation in 42 electoral districts , to serve four-year terms.-Former location:After the Romanian...
Marius Nicoară
Marius Nicoara
Marius Nicoară is the President of the Cluj County Council, and president of the Cluj National Liberal Party. As President of the County Council he is both the head of the local Legislature and the local Executive .On May 10, 2010, he was filmed while watching...
(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...
), and former Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-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...
Police commander
Romanian Police
The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform.-Duties:The Romanian Police are responsible for:...
, Teodor Pop-Puşcaş (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...
). The campaign will start on 31 January 2009.