Liberalism and radicalism in Romania

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This article gives an overview of liberalism and radicalism in Romania. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in this scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary for a party to have actually labeled itself as a liberal party.

Background[]

Liberalism has been one of the major political forces in Romania since the Wallachian Revolution of 1848, which was later mainly organized in the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL). As of October 2021, the National Liberal Party is the head of the government with elected members in both houses of the Romanian Parliament, and in the European Parliament. At European Parliament level, the PNL is a member of European People's Party (EPP).

The National Liberal Party (PNL) has historically had many spin-offs and mergers with other center-right parties. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats is such a spin-off which was a junior party in a coalition government along the Social Democratic Party (PSD) between 2017 and 2019.

History[]

Precursors[]

• 1822: Ionică Tăutu, representing a group of low-ranking boyars in Moldavia, proposed a constitutional project with republican and liberal principles
• 1834: Ion Câmpineanu leads the liberal opposition to Russian influence in Wallachia's
• 1840: led a radical, carbonari-inspired conspiracy in Wallachia
• 1840: Mihail Kogălniceanu published the short-lived Dacia Literară, a Romantic nationalist and liberal magazine, engendering a literary society
• 1843: Nicolae Bălcescu and others led the Frăţia radical conspiracy in Wallachia
• 1845: Radical students from both Wallachia and Moldavia founded Societatea Studenţilor Români (the "Society of Romanian Students") in Paris
• 1848: The unsuccessful Moldavian revolution, during which Moldavian liberals issued a Petition-Proclamation
• 1848: The liberal-minded in Transylvania, in the context of revolutions inside the Austrian Empire
• 1848: The Wallachian revolution – liberals formed a Provisional Government in Bucharest, and were divided over the issue of land reform, with a radical current forming around Bălcescu
• 1856: The liberal current formed the majority in Partida Naţională, a loose group supporting the union of the Danubian Principalities
• 1859: After the union, liberals formed a distinct faction in the Parliament of Romania
• 1864: Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza established a personal regime, in order to pass liberal legislation against mounting opposition
• 1866: Mainstream liberals supported Cuza's removal from the throne; a faction of the liberal current opposed to the new constitution formed the Moldavian-based Fracţiunea liberă şi independentă, influenced by Simion Bărnuțiu and led by Nicolae Ionescu

National Liberal Party[]

• 1875: The liberal current organised itself in the National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional-Liberal), led by Ion Brătianu
• 1884: A faction formed the Radical Party, led by C.A. Rosetti and George Panu
• 1899: The National Liberal Party absorbs the right-wing of the Romanian Social-Democratic Workers' Party
• 1918: The Peasants' Party absorbs a left-wing tendency in the National Liberal Party formed around Constantin Stere
• 1929: A faction formed the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Brătianu
• 1931: A faction formed the Liberal Democratic Party, which remained unsuccessful. The same year a majority of the Brătianu party returned in the National Liberal Party
• 1938: The rest of the Brătianu party returned in the National Liberal Party
• 1938: The party is banned by King Carol II
• 1944: The party resumed its activities
• 1944: A faction formed the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Tătărescu
• 1947: The Brătianu faction dissolves itself
• 1990: A party claiming the National Liberal legacy is founded by Radu Câmpeanu
• 1990: A youth faction of the National Liberal Party formed the ⇒ Liberal Party Youth Wing
• 1991: A faction formed the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention
• 1995: The ⇒ Liberal party 1993 merged into the National Liberal Party, the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu seceded from the party
• 1998: The party absorbed the ⇒ Civic Alliance Party
• 2002: The Alliance for Romania (Alianţa pentru România) merged into the National Liberal Party
• 2003: The Union of Right-Wing Forces (Uniunea Forţelor de Dreapta) and the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu merged into the party

National Liberal Party-Brătianu[]

• 1929: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-Brătianu (Partidul Naţional-Liberal-Brătianu)
• 1931: Most of the party returned to the National Liberal Party
• 1938: The party reunited with the National Liberal Party

National Liberal Party-Tătărescu[]

• 1944: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-Tătărescu (Partidul Naţional-Liberal (Tătărescu))
• 1945: The party ran in elections with the Romanian Communist Party
• 1950: The party ceases political activity

From National Liberal Party Youth Wing to Liberal Party 1993[]

• 1990: A youth faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the (Partidul Naţional-Liberal Aripa Tînără)
• 1992: The party was renamed Liberal Party (Partidul Liberal), led by
• 1993: The Liberal Party merged with the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention and the Group for Moral and Political Reforms into the Liberal Party 1993 (Partidul Liberal 1993), joined by a faction of the ⇒ Civic Alliance Party
• 1995: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

Civic Alliance Party[]

• 1991: A section of the Civic Alliance non-governmental organization established the (Partidul Alianţa Civică), led by Nicolae Manolescu
• 1993: A faction joined the ⇒ Liberal Party 1993
• 1998: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention[]

• 1991: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the (Partidul Naţional-Liberal-Convenţia Democrată)
• 1993: The party merged into the ⇒ Liberal Party 1993

National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu[]

• 1995: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party formed the National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu (Partidul Naţional-Liberal-Câmpeanu)
• 2003: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

Alliance for Romania[]

• 1997: A faction of the ⇒ Party for Social Democracy of Romania (PDSR) formed the (Alianța pentru România)
• 2002: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

Democratic Liberal Party[]

• 2004: National Liberal Party and Democratic Party form the ⇒ Justice and Truth Alliance and join a government coalition after the 2004 elections
• 2006: Justice and Truth Alliance is disbanded and a faction of the National Liberal Party forms the ⇒ Liberal Democratic Party (Partidul Democrat Liberal)
• 2007: Liberal Democratic Party merges with Democratic Party and forms ⇒ Democratic Liberal Party
• 2014: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party

PNL leaders[]

See also[]

• History of Romania
• Politics of Romania
• List of political parties in Romania

References[]

External links[]

• (in Romanian) Ioan Scurtu, Theodora Stănescu-Stanciu, Georgiana Margareta Scurtu, Istoria românilor între anii 1918–1940: IV. Partidele politice în primul deceniu interbelic (political programs of major parties in interwar Romania)