The Social-Liberal Union (USL), a broad coalition headed by the Prime Minister, Victor Ponta (right), has won a landslide victory in Romania’s parliamentary election. The USL, a centrist grouping that includes social democratic, liberal and conservative parties, won 395 of the 577 seats available in Romania’s parliament, giving it a strong majority in both the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, and the upper house, the Senate. The main opposition, the centre-right Just Romania Alliance (ARD), won only 80 seats in Parliament. Mr Ponta, the leader of the Social Democrats and co-leader of the USL, is almost certain to be re-appointed as Prime Minister, although the President of Romania, Traian Bascescu is likely to wait the maximum 20 days before reappointing his political rival. May 2012) and a series of other right-wing parties. After local elections that brought the Social-Liberal Union (USL) to power across Romania in June 2012, the same political force which brings together social democrats, liberals and conservatives - won around 60% of the vote. The centre-right opposing coalition - the Just Romania Alliance (ARD) - won less than 17%. The People’s Party - Dan Diaconescu (PP-DD) sprung the major surprise of the election, winning more than 14% of the vote. The party was founded by a TV presenter and media magnate who is well known for his populist approach. The fourth party to win seats in both houses was the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), which took just over five per cent of the vote. A string of other parties representing various ethnic, linguistic or national minorities in Romania are likely to win around 18 seats in the lower house of Parliament. Despite severe weather over the election weekend and a short and rather dull one-month campaign, citizens went out to vote in slightly larger numbers (41.8%) than during the 2008 election.
Parliamentary elections
Formed straight after the local elections, the ARD aimed to put together a viable alternative to the electoral dominance of the USL. The Democrat-Liberal Party (PDL) had lost the local elections with just 15% of the vote and faced a wave of resignations, causing damage to the party’s already-compromised image and leading it to establish the ARD with Mr Ungureanu. However, the ARD has been short-lived, with the leaders of the various parties pointing the finger at each other for the ARD’s failure in these parliamentary elections.
Although the USL won the elections with a large majority, the general atmosphere across the country is rather gloomy. Analysts highlight that the electorate is punishing the former government for the crisis and recession years rather than really seeing an alternative approach in Mr Ponta’s alliance. A significant change of political direction seems unlikely. Despite his large majority, Mr Ponta announced that the UDMR is welcome to join the coalition - a stance that has not been wellreceived by the other members of USL. Crin Antonescu, the other co-leader of the USL and President of the Liberal Party, expressed “reserve” about having the Hungarians at the negotiation table. The President of Romania, Traian Basescu, who survived the USL’s attempt to dismiss him following a national referendum in the summer and who is locked in a power struggle with Mr Ponta, is expected to delay the Prime Minister’s nomination until the last possible moment, 20 days after the election. Tensions in Romanian politics seem set to remain high.
The USL was formed in February 2011. Following many years of economic hardship and a fierce fight against recession that led to increasing discontent among Romanians, the USL capitalised on a popular uprising at the beginning of the year. It called for a motion of no confidence in the government, and the USL coleader, Victor Ponta, was appointed as Prime Minister in May. The USL won the local elections in June, polling nearly 50% of the vote and winning mayoralties in 38 of Romania’s 42 counties. The vote was a clear message that Romanians wanted change. The ARD - which split in acrimony after Sunday’s parliamentary election - was also a new political alliance, composed of the Democrat-Liberal Party, Civic Force (a new party led by Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who was Prime Minister from February to
With a large majority for the USL, business groups are hoping for more stability and predictability (although there is the fear that the lack of opposition may lead to the USL making decisions without much consultation). After years of fiscal tinkering and a lack of encouragement for investment, business also hopes for investments in the country’s infrastructure. At European level, Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, has said that he sees “no difficulty” in working with Mr Ponta, whom he had criticised over the Prime Minister’s efforts to oust Mr Basescu. Mr Barroso said that Mr Ponta "addressed our concerns and he has shown his commitment to correct things that were from our point of view inappropriate." Original text by Chapter 4, Burson-Marsteller’s affiliate in Central and Eastern Europe. chapter4.at