Socialist Party of Labour

The Socialist Party of Labour (Romanian: Partidul Socialist al Muncii, PSM) was a left wing-nationalist political party in Romania.

The party was labelled as neo-communist. It was founded on 16 November 1990. The chairman of the party was Ilie Verdeţ,[1] former premier under Nicolae Ceauşescu. In the 1992 legislative election, the party got roughly 3% of votes and entered the parliament. Together with the Great Romania Party, the PSM formed the 'National Bloc' faction in Romanian Senate. The PSM participated in the so-called Red Quadrilateral coalition that in addition to PSM included Iliescu's Democratic National Salvation Front, the Greater Romania Party (at that time national communist) and the nationalist Romanian National Unity Party.[2] Later, the Socialist Party of Labour gradually lost its influence.

In July 2003, the party fused with the Social Democratic Party; members who objected to the fusion formed a splinter group, called the Socialist Alliance Party.

Electoral history

Legislative elections

Election	Chamber			Senate			Position	Aftermath
	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
1992	328,283	3.03	13 / 341	347,658	3.18	5 / 143	8th	PDSR-PUNR-PRM government
1996	262,563	2.15	0 / 343	265,659	2.16	0 / 143	8th	Extra-parliamentary opposition to CDR-USD-UDMR government
2000	91,027	0.71	0 / 345	96,636	0.89	0 / 140	11th	Extra-parliamentary support to PDSR minority government

Presidential elections

Election	Candidate	First round			Second round
		Votes	Percentage	Position	Votes	Percentage	Position
1992	did not compete
1996	Adrian Păunescu	87,163	0.7%	9th
2000	Ion Sasu	38,375	0.3%	11th

Notes

1. Ramet, Sabrina P. (2010-11-01). Radical Right in Central and Eastern Europe Since 1989. Penn State Press. ISBN 0271043792.
2. Roper, Steven D. (2000-01-01). Romania: The Unfinished Revolution. Psychology Press. ISBN 9789058230270.

External links

• Parties, Poles, Alliances and Romanian Pluralism, 1990-2000 by Maxmilián Strmiska