Elections in Romania

Romania elects on a national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term by the people (after a change from four-year terms after the 2004 election). The Romanian Parliament (Parlamentul României) has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies (Camera Deputaţilor) has currently 329 members (after the last legislative elections), elected for a four-year term by party-list proportional representation on closed lists. The Senate (Senatul) has currently 136 members (after the last legislative elections), elected for a four-year term by party-list proportional representation on closed lists.

Romania
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Romania

Romania has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments.

On 25 November 2007, for the first time, Romanians elected their representatives to the European Parliament.

Electoral system

President

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, he or she is declared the winner. 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.

In order to be able to run for the Office of President a candidate must fulfill the following conditions: be a Romanian citizen, be at least 35 years of age (at least on the day of the election), and not have held the office for two terms since 1992, when the 1991 Constitution took effect.[1]

Parliament
The former electoral colleges of the constituencies for the Chamber of Deputies
The former electoral colleges of the constituencies for the Senate

The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are elected in constituencies, by universal, equal, direct, secret, and freely expressed suffrage, on the basis of a list system and independent candidatures, according to the principle of closed party list proportional representation. The option for an identical 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. This differentiation is possible owing to the legal provision of a representation norm differing from one Chamber to the other and due to the seats allotted to the national minorities (a seat in the Chamber of Deputies for each minority) and to the Romanians living abroad (4 seats in the Chamber and 2 in the Senate). Thus, for the election of the Chamber of Deputies the representation norm is of one Deputy to 73,000 inhabitants,[2] and for the election of the Senate, of one Senator to 168,000 inhabitants.[2]

The number of Deputies and Senators to be elected in each constituency is determined on the basis of the representation norm, by relating the number of inhabitants in each constituency to the representation norm. There are 43 constituencies: 1 for each county and the Municipality of Bucharest, and 1 for the Romanians living abroad.[2] In a constituency, the number of Deputies cannot be less than four, and that of Senators, less than two. The number of inhabitants taken into account is that existing on 1 January of the previous year,[2] published in the Statistical Yearbook of Romania. If, at least five months before the election date, a general census has taken place, the number of inhabitants taken into account is that resulting from the census.

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.[2]

The Constitution of Romania and the Election Law grant to legally constituted organizations of citizens belonging to national minorities, in case these could not obtain at the election at least one Deputy or Senator mandate, the right to a Deputy mandate, if they have obtained throughout the country a number of votes equal to at least 5% out of the average number of votes validly expressed throughout the country for the election of one Deputy.

The mandates assigned, under the conditions of the Election Law, to organizations of citizens belonging to national minorities are added to the Deputy mandates resulted from the representation norm.

European Parliament

To elect the 32 MEPs (35 MEPs between 2007 and 2009, 33 between 2009 and 2014), Romania is considered a single constituency. The system used is closed party list proportional representation, with a 5% threshold of the votes.

Local elections

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. Until 2008 and again since 2016,[3] the County Council Presidents have been indirectly elected by each County Council.

To elect the Local and County Councils, the closed party list proportional representation, with a 5% threshold of the votes at the constituency level (city, commune or county).

Voting procedures

Irrespective of the type of election, the vote is done by using paper and manual counting. The voter is required to prove his/hers identity using the Identity card (or the previous version, the Identity bulletin), or, for special reasons, the military ID or the passport. After (s)he signs in the permanent, supplemental, or special electoral list, (s)he is handed a voting ballot (buletin de vot) and a stamp that reads VOTAT YYYY TTT (voted); YYYY stands for the year the election is held, and TTT for the type of elections to be held: L for local elections (including partial), P presidential elections, PE for European Parliament election, R for referendums (R.V.U. was used in 2007). For the general election, up to now, there was no additional type indicator, as it is granted most importance.

For the local and parliamentary elections, the voter can vote only at the polling station where (s)he has the permanent address (domiciliu), or the temporary residence (flotant) at least three months old. For the local election, the Romanians outside Romania cannot vote. For the parliamentary election they vote the candidates for the 43rd constituency. For the European Parliament and presidential elections the voters can vote at a different pooling station than the local and parliamentary elections, but only if (s)he is not in the home-town the voting day. At the next legislative election the Romanian electors residing abroad will be able to cast their vote via mail.[4]

The voting ballot is printed on newspaper paper, monochrome. All the candidates (or the full candidate list) are listed in a lottery type established order (first the parliamentary parties, than the non-parliamentary parties, and at the end, the independent candidates), each in a clearly designated rectangular that consists of the full party name, the candidate (or full list) and the party logo. Voters express their choice by stamping the rectangle of the party or independent candidate (s)he wishes to vote for. For referendums the same voting procedure is used. Each of the two options (YES – DA and NO – NU) are in a 5×5 cm square, YES on top and NO at the bottom, and the question voted for in the middle of the voting ballot.

Future elections

Election schedule
Election typeDateSecond round date
Local27 September 2020[5]–
Legislative6 December 2020 (projected)[6]–
Europeanmid-May 2024–
Presidentialearly/mid-November 2024late November/early December 2024
if needed

Latest elections

Presidential
Main article: 2019 Romanian presidential election
Candidate Party First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Klaus Iohannis National Liberal Party 3,485,292 37.82 6,509,135 66.09
Viorica Dăncilă Social Democratic Party 2,051,725 22.26 3,339,922 33.91
Dan Barna 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance 1,384,450 15.02
Mircea Diaconu Alliance for "One Man" (PRO–ALDE) 815,201 8.85
Theodor Paleologu People's Movement Party 527,098 5.72
Hunor Kelemen Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania 357,014 3.87
Ramona Bruynseels Humanist Power Party 244,275 2.65
Alexandru Cumpănașu Independent 141,316 1.53
Viorel Cataramă Liberal Right Party 48,662 0.53
Bogdan Stanoevici Independent 39,192 0.42
Cătălin Ivan Alternative for National Dignity 32,787 0.36
Ninel Peia Romania Nationhood Party 30,884 0.34
Sebastian Popescu New Romania Party 30,850 0.33
John Ion Banu Romanian Nation Party 27,769 0.30
Invalid/blank votes 142,961 – 182,648 –
Total 9,359,673 100 10,031,705 100
Registered voters/turnout 18,286,865 51.18 18,217,411 55.07
Sources: BEC (first round); BEC (second round)

European Parliament
Main article: 2019 European Parliament election in Romania
 Summary of the May 2019 European Parliament election results in Romania
Party No. of
Candidates		 Votes Elected Change
in seats		 % of seats % of votes
National Party EU Party EP Group
National Liberal Party[a]
(Partidul Naţional Liberal)		 EPP[a] EPP Group[a] 43 2,449,068 10 30.30% 27.00%
Social Democratic Party
(Partidul Social Democrat)		 PES S&D 43 2,040,765 9 27.27% 22.50%
2020 USR-PLUS Alliance
(Alianța 2020 USR-PLUS) 		— ALDE&R[c] 40[g] 2,028,236 8 8 24.24% 22.36%
PRO Romania
(PRO România)		 EDP S&D[e]

ECR[f]

 43 583,916 2 0 6.06% 6.44%
People's Movement Party
(Partidul Mișcarea Populară)		 — EPP Group 43 522,104 2 2 6.06% 5.76%
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
(Uniunea Democrată a Maghiarilor din România)		 EPP EPP Group 43 476,777 2 0 6.06% 5.26%
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
(Alianța Liberalilor și Democraților)		 ALDE — 43 372,760 0 2 0% 4.11%
Independent candidate: Peter Costea — — 1 131,021 0 0 0% 1.44%
Independent candidate: George-Nicolae Simion — — 1 117,141 0 0 0% 1.29%
Independent candidate: Gregoriana Carmen Tudoran — — 1 100,669 0 0 0% 1.11%
National Union for the Progress of Romania
(Uniunea Națională pentru Progresul României)		 — No MEPs 43 54,942 0 0 0% 0.61%
Prodemo Party
(Partidul Prodemo)		 — No MEPs 26 53,351 0 0 0% 0.59%
United Romania Party
(Partidul România Unită)		 — No MEPs 30 51,787 0 0 0% 0.57%
Romanian Socialist Party
(Partidul Socialist Român)		 — No MEPs 28 40,135 0 0 0% 0.44%
Independent Social Democratic Party
(Partidul Social Democrat Independent)		 — No MEPs 43 26,439 0 0 0% 0.29%
National Unity Block - NUB
(Blocul Unității Naționale - BUN)		 — No MEPs 12 20,411 0 0 0% 0.23%
Total: 18,267,256 expected voters (turnout – 51.20%) 483 9,352,472 33 1 100% 100%
Source: Summary of the results

Notes

  1. ^ After the 2014 election, PNL merged with PD-L/PDL and joined the EPP, and EPP Group.
  2. ^ Prior to the 2019 election, Save Romania Union had no MEPs, and no European affiliation.
  3. ^ According to the website of the ALDE Group, USR Plus will be part of its new group called "ALDE plus Renaissance plus USR Plus.
  4. ^ Monica Macovei, the founder of the M10 party, was ousted.
  5. ^ Daciana Sârbu sits with the S&D.
  6. ^ Laurențiu Rebega sits with the ECR.
  7. ^ After the lists have been approved by the Central Electoral Bureau, three candidates of the 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance have renounced their candidacy. The Central Electoral Bureau ruled the elimination of said positions on the list.[7]

Legislative
Main article: 2016 Romanian legislative election

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) won the general election with over 45% of the seats in both houses of Parliament, but falling short of an outright majority.

This election saw the return of the county (and Bucharest) level lists, replacing the previous mixed member election. Also it maintained special seats for Romanians living abroad, in both houses.

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Social Democratic Party3,221,78645.6867+8
National Liberal Party1,440,19320.4230–20
Save Romania Union629,3758.9213New
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania440,4096.2490
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats423,7286.019New
People's Movement Party398,7915.658New
United Romania Party207,9772.950New
Greater Romania Party83,5681.1800
Ecologist Party of Romania77,2181.0900
Our Romania Alliance66,7740.950New
Romanian Socialist Party32,8080.4700
Humanist Power Party (Social-Liberal)3,0660.040New
New Romania Party2,3490.030New
National Unity Bloc7390.010New
Green Party7190.010New
PACT7190.010New
Our Vrancea Party6520.010New
Democratic Roma Party6480.010New
Republican Party of Romania520.000New
Independents21,3950.3000
Invalid/blank votes205,973–––
Total7,258,939100136–40
Registered voters/turnout18,403,04439.44––
Source: BEC
Party Votes % Seats +/–
Social Democratic Party3,204,86445.48154+4
National Liberal Party1,412,37720.0469–31
Save Romania Union625,1548.8730New
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania435,9696.1921+3
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats396,3865.6220New
People's Movement Party376,8915.3518New
United Romania Party196,3972.790New
Greater Romania Party73,2641.0400
Ecologist Party of Romania62,4140.8900
Our Romania Alliance61,2060.870New
Romanian Socialist Party24,5800.3500
Party of the Roma13,1260.1910
Democratic Forum of Germans12,3750.1810
Democratic Union of Slovaks and Czechs in Romania6,5450.0910
Community of the Lippovan Russians6,1600.0910
Hellenic Union of Romania5,8170.0810
Democratic Turkish Union of Romania5,5360.0810
Association of Macedonians of Romania5,5130.0810
Union of Serbs of Romania5,4680.0810
Federation of the Jewish Communities in Romania5,0690.0710
Union of Armenians of Romania4,8680.0710
League of Albanians of Romania4,6400.0710
Bulgarian Union of Banat–Romania4,5420.0610
Union of Croatians of Romania3,5320.0510
Association of Italians of Romania3,4860.0510
Union of Poles of Romania3,3550.0510
Cultural Union of Ruthenians of Romania2,8240.0410
Humanist Power Party (Social-Liberal)2,5990.040New
New Romania Party1,7640.030New
Union of the Ukrainians of Romania1,1720.0210
PACT6090.010New
Green Party5660.010New
Democratic Roma Party5230.010New
National Unity Bloc5180.010New
Our Vrancea Party5110.010New
Independents76,7641.0900
Invalid/blank votes213,916–––
Total7,261,300100329–83
Registered voters/turnout18,403,04439.46––
Source: BEC

Local
Main article: 2016 Romanian local elections
 Summary of the 5 June 2016 Romanian local election results
Party Mayor of Bucharest (PMB) Mayors (P) Local Councils
seats (CL)		 County Councils
seats (CJ)
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
Social Democratic Party[a]
(Partidul Social Democrat - PSD)		 246,553 42.97% 1 3,330,213 38.98% 1,708 3,161,046 37.70% 16,969 3,270,909 39.60% 638
National Liberal Party[b]
(Partidul Național Liberal - PNL)		 64,186 11.18% - 2,686,099 31.50% 1,081 2,478,549 29.60% 13,198 2,529,986 30.64% 504
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats[a]
(Alianța Liberalilor și Democraților - ALDE)		 17,455 3.04% - 488,145 5.72% 64 545,767 6.52% 2,504 521,845 6.32% 80
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
(Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România - UDMR)		 - - - 315,236 3.69% 195 390,321 4.66% 2,284 411,823 4.98% 95
People's Movement Party
(Partidul Mișcarea Populară - PMP)		 37,098 6.46% - 304,924 3.57% 18 360,035 4.30% 1,315 368,985 4.46% 41
National Union for the Progress of Romania[a]
(Uniunea Națională pentru Progresul României - UNPR)		 - - - 213,233 2.50% 26 245,633 2.93% 1,203 220,467 2.67% 14
Save Bucharest Union
(Uniunea Salvaţi Bucureştiul - USB)		 175,119 30.52% - 96,789 1.13% - 121,099 1.44% 39 143,544 1.73% 15
Romanian Social Party
(Partidul Social Românesc - PSRO)		 - - - 100,303 1.17% 4 102,839 1.22% 318 99,587 1.20% 7
Ecologist Party of Romania
(Partidul Ecologist Român - PER)		 - - - 63,246 0.74% 1 87,016 1.03% 210 98,486 1.19% 8
United Romania Party
(Partidul România Unită - PRU)		 8,356 1.45% - 51,200 0.60% 2 60,494 0.17% 169 66,131 0.80% -
Independents
10,639 1.85% - 486,826 5.71% 53 258,538 3.08% 316 52,800 0.63% 3
Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
(Forumul Democrat al Germanilor din România - FDGR)		 - - - 40,348 0.47% 5 40,599 0.48% 81 42,652 0.51% 10
Hungarian People's Party of Transylvania
(Erdélyi Magyar Néppárt/Partidul Popular Maghiar din Transilvania - PPMT)		 - - - 21,171 0.24% - 35,019 0.41% 207 38,215 0.46% 6
Coalition for Baia Mare (FDGR-PNȚCD-PSRO-UNPR)
(Coaliția pentru Baia Mare - CBM)		 - - - 32,111 0.37% 1 20,229 0.24% 11 26,217 0.31% 5
Hungarian Civic Party
(Magyar Polgári Párt/Partidul Civic Maghiar - PCM)		 - - - 19,355 0.22% 13 18,993 0.22% 158 16,824 0.20% 6
Party for Argeș and Muscel
(Partidul pentru Argeș and Muscel)		 - - - 14,625 0.17% - 15,049 0.17% 67 14,137 0.17% 2
Other political parties 14,369 2.48% - 213,522 2.28% 15 368,927 4.63% 1,015 275,054 3.24% -
Total: 573,775 100 1 8,477,346 100 3,186 8,310,153 100 40,067 8,197,662 100 1,434
Notes
  1. ^ PSD, ALDE and UNPR ran independently or in various electoral coalitions with each other (PSD-ALDE or PSD-UNPR).
  2. ^ PNL ran mostly by itself, with the exception of Tătărăștii de Jos, where it ran in a coalition with the Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party.
Sources: "Situatia mandatelor repartizate pe partide". Biroul Electoral Central. "Situatia voturilor obtinute de competitori pe partide". Biroul Electoral Central.

Referendums

The Constitution of Romania defines that a referendum has to be called to:[8]

  • suspend the President from office (article 95), or
  • amend the Constitution (article 151)

Moreover, the Constitution defines that a referendum can be called on matters of national interest by the President of Romania after consultation with Parliament (article 90).

There were 7 referendums in post-communist Romania:

In March 2019, President Klaus Iohannis announced his intention to call a referendum on justice on 26 May 2019, on the same day with the European Parliament election.[9]

There was also 1 referendum in Socialist Republic of Romania, 3 referendums in Kingdom of Romania and 2 referendums in The Romanian United Principalities.

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See also

References
  1. "CONSTITUTION OF ROMANIA". www.cdep.ro.
  2. "Legea nr. 208 din 20 iulie 2015 privind alegerea Senatului şi a Camerei Deputaţilor, precum şi pentru organizarea şi funcţionarea Autorităţii Electorale Permanente" (PDF) (in Romanian). Romanian Permanent Electoral Authority. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  3. "Legea alegerilor locale, modificată: Primarii, aleşi într-un singur tur. Preşedinţii CJ, aleşi de către membrii CJ" (in Romanian). 6 May 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  4. "Legea votului prin corespondenţă a fost PROMULGATĂ de preşedintele Klaus Iohannis". Mediafax.ro (in Romanian). 19 November 2015.
  5. https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/actualitate/guvernul-a-aprobat-proiectul-privind-stabilirea-datei-alegerilor-locale-in-27-septembrie-1328881
  6. https://romania.europalibera.org/a/orban-alegerile-locale-ar-putea-avea-loc-%C3%AEn-septembrie-iar-cele-parlamentare-%C3%AEn-6-decembrie/30631146.html
  7. Central Electoral Bureau decision no. 57
  8. "Constitution of Romania" (PDF). Party Law in Modern Europe. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  9. "President Iohannis determined to hold referendum on EP elections day, civil society representatives claim". Nine O'Clock. 26 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.

Sources
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