2008 Romanian parliamentary election

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2008 Romanian parliamentary election
Romania
← 2004 30 November 2008 2012 →
All 137 seats in the Senate
All 334 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
69 and 167 seats needed for a majority
Turnout39.20% (Decrease 19.27pp)
Party Leader % Seats +/–
Chamber of Deputies
PSD+PC Mircea Geoană 33.10 114 −18
PDL Theodor Stolojan[a] 32.36 115 +67
PNL Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu 18.57 65 +1
UDMR Béla Markó 6.17 22 0
Minority parties Varujan Pambuccian[b] 3.65 18 0
Senate
PSD+PC Mircea Geoană 34.16 49 −8
PDL Theodor Stolojan[c] 33.57 51 +30
PNL Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu 18.74 28 0
UDMR Béla Markó 6.39 9 −1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Chamber of Deputies and for the Senate
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
PNL		 Emil Boc
PDL		Emil Boc

Parliamentary elections were held in Romania on 30 November 2008.[1] The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) won three more seats than PSD in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, although the alliance headed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) won more votes and a fractionally higher vote share. The two parties subsequently formed a governing coalition with Emil Boc of the PDL as Prime Minister.

Electoral system

President

electoral threshold of 5% was applied for each chamber; or winning at least six colleges for the Chamber of Deputies and three colleges for the Senate by more than 50%. There was an additional adjustment for the Chamber of Deputies around the national minorities candidates.[2]

Contenders

The main contenders in the election were the centre-left alliance made up of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Conservative Party (PC); the liberal-conservative Democratic Liberal Party (PDL); and the liberal National Liberal Party (PNL).

Other significant contenders were the ethnic Hungarian party Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ) and the right-wing nationalist Greater Romania Party (PRM), both of whom were represented in the previous Parliament.

Opinion polls

Polling Firm Date Source
PDL PSD+PC PSD PNL PNG UDMR PRM PC PNȚCD PIN PCM Undecided
IMAS 26/06/2008 [1] 40% — 26% 18% 5% 5% 3% — — — — —
INSOMAR 22–30/07/2008 [2] 38% — 26% 16% 3% 4% 3% 2% 2% 2% 1% —
ATLE 25–05/08–09/2008 [3] 30.2% — 33.1% 16% 3.2% 4.8% 3.4% 3.1% 1.1% 2% — —
Metro-Media 1–16/09/2008 [4] 37% — 28% 17% 3% 5% 5% 3% 1% 3% — —
INSOMAR 12–17/09/2008 [5] 39% — 25% 20% 3% 4% 4% 1% — — 1% —
CCSB 22–25/09/2008 [6] 34% 36% — 20% 2% 5% 3% — 1% — — —
CURS 10–23/10/2008 [7] 32% 31% — 18% 5% 5% 5% — 1% 1% — —
CCSB 25–27/10/2008 [8] 34% 37% — 18% 2% 6% 3% — — — — —
INSOMAR 30–03/10–11/2008 [9] 37% 32% — 17% 3% 6% 5% — — — — —
CCSB 11/11/2008 [10] 34.5% 37.7% — 14.4% 2.3% 6.6% 4.0% — — — — —
BCS 10–14/11/2008 [11] 34.4% 31.8% — 19.9% 1.9% 5.1% 3.6% — — — — 25.5%
BCS 17–21/11/2008 [12] 32.6% 31.2% — 21.4% 2.9% 6.1% 4.1% — — — — 29.5%
INSOMAR 21–23/11/2008 [13] 32% 35% — 21% 3% 5% 3% — — — — —
CSOP 19–23/11/2008 [14] 34% 31% — 21% 3% 7% 3% — — — — 27%
BCS 23–26/11/2008 [15] 31.1% 32% — 21.3% 3.2% 6.3% 4.3% — — — — 26%

The first exit-polls, published by INSOMAR[3][unreliable source?] after the polls were closed, predicted the results for the Chamber of Deputies as:

PSD+PC - 36.2%;
PDL - 30.3%;
PNL - 20.4%;
UDMR - 6.7%.

And for the Senate:

PSD+PC - 35.9%;
PDL - 31.1%;
PNL - 19.9%;
UDMR - 6.7%.

Results

Chamber of Deputies
for Constituencies no. 1 to no. 42
Chamber of Deputies
for Constituency no. 43
The results for the Senate for Constituencies no. 1 to no. 42
The results for the Senate for Constituency no. 43

According to the official final results, the centre-left Alliance PSD+PC won 33.1% in the Chamber of Deputies, just ahead of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) on 32.4%, with the National Liberal Party (PNL) on 18.6% and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ) on 6.2%. The alliance led by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) won 34.2% in the Senate, just ahead of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) on 33.6%, with the National Liberal Party (PNL) on 18.7% and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ) on 6.4%.[4]

Compared to the 2004 election, the Social Democratic Party-led alliance fell back a few percents in the national vote share. The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and National Liberal Party (PNL) had competed in the last election together as the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA), but had split in April 2007.

The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) made significant gains in 2008 to become the largest party in both houses, while the National Liberal Party (PNL) made smaller gains. Support for the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ) was largely unchanged. The Greater Romania Party (PRM) obtained 13% of the national vote for the Chamber in 2004, but failed in 2008 to pass the 5% electoral threshold.

Senate

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Alliance PSD+PC2,352,96834.1649–8
Democratic Liberal Party2,312,35833.5751+30
National Liberal Party1,291,02918.74280
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania440,4496.399–1
Greater Romania Party245,9303.570–21
New Generation Party174,5192.5300
Green Ecologist Party48,1190.7000
Popular and Social Protection Party10,8050.160New
National Democratic Christian Party1,3650.0200
Romanian Socialist Party4450.0100
Independents10,0680.1500
Total6,888,055100.001370
Valid votes6,888,05595.15
Invalid/blank votes350,8164.85
Total votes7,238,871100.00
Registered voters/turnout18,464,27439.20
Source: Nohlen & Stöver[5] Central Election Office

Chamber of Deputies

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Union of Turkish-Muslim Tatars
11,8680.1710
Association of Macedonians of Romania11,8140.1710
Union of Serbs of Romania10,8780.1610
Association of Italians of Romania9,5670.1410
Democratic Turkish Union of Romania9,4810.1410
Union of the Ukrainians of Romania9,3380.1410
Community of the Lipovan Russians9,2030.1310
Union of Croats of Romania9,0470.1310
Hellenic Union of Romania8,8750.1310
League of Albanians of Romania8,7920.1310
Popular and Social Protection Party8,3880.120New
Union of Poles of Romania7,6700.1110
Cultural Union of Ruthenians of Romania4,5140.0710
Romanian Socialist Party5850.0100
National Democratic Christian Party3160.0000
Party of the European Romania870.000New
Independents28,3550.4100
Total6,886,794100.00334+2
Valid votes6,886,79495.14
Invalid/blank votes352,0774.86
Total votes7,238,871100.00
Registered voters/turnout18,464,27439.20
Source: Nohlen & Stöver[5] Central Election Office

Aftermath

Government formation

Second Prime Minister Designate, Emil Boc speaking.

It was expected that a grand coalition of the Social Democrats and the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) would be formed. Initially the Prime Minister-designate was Theodor Stolojan, the PDL's official candidate.[6] He was designated Prime Minister by the President Traian Băsescu on 11 December 2008, the official decree being issued and printed in the Monitorul Oficial the next day.

On 15 December 2008, four days after his nomination, and one day after the coalition protocol was signed, Stolojan announced that he had resigned from the position of Prime Minister-designate, without giving any reason.[7] The same day, Băsescu signed a decree that nominated the Mayor of Cluj-Napoca and PDL president Emil Boc.[8]

Boc's coalition government with the Social Democrats was approved by parliament in a 324–115 vote and was sworn in on 22 December 2008.

Chamber of Deputies.[11]

By-elections

At the start of the 2008–2012 parliamentary term, only parties that had won seats in the 2008 elections were eligible to contest parliamentary by-elections. However, this changed in 2011, after which all parties were allowed to propose candidates. The change came after repeated contests to the Constitutional Court of Romania of former 2009 presidential candidate Remus Cernea.

Following the nomination of Bogdan Olteanu to the Council of Administration of the National Bank of Romania as Deputy Governor, the first by-election of the parliamentary term took place in Bucharest constituency 1 will be held the first by-election of this parliament. The election was held on 17 January 2010 and was a contest between Radu Stroe of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and Honorius Prigoană, representing the PDL. The Social Democrats decided not to propose a candidate and to support the PNL candidate. Stroe was subsequently elected.

PSD+PC candidate, based on the gentlemen's agreement for the Bucharest by-election. The PSD nominated Conservative Party member and former Romanian Lottery director Liliana Mincă, with the PDL putting forward former TV show host Teo Trandafir
, who went on to win.

Following the death of

Minister of Labour, Mariana Câmpeanu
of the PNL winning.

In January 2011, the representative of the

national minority
, her seat had no college. As a result, her seat was left empty.

In April 2011

Ministry of Agriculture
.

In May 2011, Cătălin Cherecheș was elected Mayor of Baia Mare, automatically vacating her seat in the Chamber of Deputies, Maramureș County constituency 2. The by-election on 21 August saw Florin Tătaru of the Social Liberal Union elected.

On 30 August 2011, Zoltán Pálfi died, vacacting Cluj County constituency 9.

Summary of the
2008 - 2012 legislature (LIII)
Date College - Constituency Candidates Parties and alliances Votes %
17 January 2010
CD 1-42
 Radu Stroe National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional Liberal) 7,625 70.17%
Honorius Prigoană Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) 3,242 29.83%
Total valid votes (40,583 expected voters) (turnout 27.12% - 11,006) 10,867 100.00%
Source: Biroul Electoral Municipal Archived 4 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
25 April 2010
CD 19-42
 Teo Trandafir Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) 53.59%
Liliana Mincă
PSD+PC Electoral Alliance
(Alianţa Electorală PSD+PC) 		46.41%
Total valid votes (103,204 expected voters) (turnout 14.84%) 15,093 100.00%
Source: Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă Archived 13 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
28 November 2010
CD 3-22
 Mariana Câmpeanu National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional Liberal) 8,738 34.86%
Daniel Răducanu Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) 7,339 29.28%
Ţoloaș Liliana
PSD+PC Electoral Alliance
(Alianţa Electorală PSD+PC) 		5,218 20.81%
Nicolae Timiș Independent 2,683 10.70%
Bela Fülöp
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania
(Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România) 		438 1.75%
Remus Cernea Independent 269 1.07%
Mircea Părăian
New Generation Party – Christian Democratic
(Partidul Noua Generaţie - Creştin Democrat) 		197 0.78%
Iosif Danci
Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party
(Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin Democrat) 		187 0.75%
Total valid votes (53,222 expected voters) (turnout 48.41% - 25,763) 25,069 100.00%
Source: Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
21 August 2011
CD 6-29
 Adrian Rădulescu Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) 17,186 54.95%
Liviu Harbuz
Social-Liberal Union
(Uniunea Social Liberală) 		14,089 45.05%
Total valid votes (57,996 expected voters) (turnout 53.93% - 32,184) 31,275 100.00%
Source: Autoritatea Electorala Permanenta Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
CD 2-26
 Florin Tătaru
Social-Liberal Union
(Uniunea Social Liberală) 		9,433 42.67%
Mariana Pop Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) 7,845 35.48%
Mircea Dolha Ecologist Party of Romania (Partidul Ecologist Român) 4,338 19.62%
Felician Horzsa Greater Romania Party (Partidul România Mare) 493 2.23%
Total valid votes (79,241 expected voters) (turnout 27,90% - 22,478) 22,109 100.00%
Source: Biroul Electoral Judeţean Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  1. ^ Prime Minister candidate
  2. ^ Pambuccian has been the parliamentary leader of the national minorities' group since 1996 onwards.
  3. ^ Prime Minister candidate

References

  1. ^ "Romania to hold elections on November 30th". SETimes.com. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  2. ^ (in Romanian) Simulation of the algorithm using an imaginary county Archived 2008-12-17 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Agentia Nationala de Presa AGERPRES Archived 2008-12-10 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Alegeri Parlamentare - 30 Noiembire 2008 Situatia Voturilor Valabil Exprimate pe Competitori Electorali" (PDF). Romania Biroul Electoral Central. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2008.
  5. ^
    ISBN 9783832956097
  6. ^ "Allgemeine Deutsche Zeitung für Rumänien" (in Romanian). Adz.ro. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  7. ^ "Antena 3" (in Romanian). Antena3.ro. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  8. ^ "Emil Boc nominated new Romanian PM". euronews. 15 December 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  9. ^ "Boc Government OK'd by Parliament, with 324 votes in favor and 115 against". Financiarul. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  10. ^ Radu Marinas and Luiza Ilie (22 December 2008). "Romania centre-left gov't sworn in to tackle crisis". Forbes. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  11. ^ "Romania's PM designate pledges to cut spending". 22 December 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  12. ^ "Jurnalul Naţional". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
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