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{{for|the Conservative Party which existed in Romania between 1880 and 1918|Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918)}}
{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
|name = Conservative Party
| name = Conservative Party
|native_name = Partidul Conservator
| native_name = Partidul Conservator
|country = Romania
| country = Romania
|logo = PC logo small.png
| logo = PC.svg
⚫
| president = [[Daniel Constantin (politician)|Daniel Constantin]]
|logo_size = 173px
| founder = [[Dan Voiculescu]]
⚫
|president = [[Daniel Constantin (politician)|Daniel Constantin]]
|founder = [[Dan Voiculescu]]
| secretary_general = [[Damian Florea]]
⚫
| foundation = {{start date|1991|12|18|df=y}}
|secretary_general = [[Damian Florea]]
⚫
| dissolution = 19 June 2015
⚫
|foundation = {{start date|1991|12|18|df=y}}
⚫
| headquarters = [[Calea Victoriei]], 118<br />[[Bucharest]]
⚫
|dissolution = 19 June 2015
⚫
| membership_year = 2014
⚫
|headquarters = [[Calea Victoriei]], 118<br />[[Bucharest]]
⚫
| membership = 55,000<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.stiripesurse.ro/cati-membri-au-partidele-din-romania-ce-partid-a-pierdut-din-adepti_931222.html | title=Cati membri au partidele din Romania. Ce partid a pierdut din adepti | date=10 September 2014 | access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref>
⚫
|membership_year = 2014
⚫
| ideology = {{nowrap|[[Social conservatism]]<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/romania.html|title=Romania|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025172132/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/romania.html|archive-date=25 October 2016|year=2015|access-date=7 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><br>[[National conservatism]]<ref name="Bakke">{{cite book|first=Elisabeth|last=Bakke|chapter=Central and East European party systems since 1989|title=Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oFXdiS25N78C&pg=PA79|date=18 February 2010|page=79|editor-last=Ramet|editor-first=Sabrina P.|isbn=978-1-139-48750-4}}</ref>}}<br>[[Liberal conservatism]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.de/romania.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060430101020/http://www.parties-and-elections.de/romania.html|archive-date = 2006-04-30|title = Parties-and-elections.de}}</ref><br>''Before 2005:''<br>[[Humanism]]<br>[[Social liberalism]]<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2020766446|title = Partide politice minore în România postcomunistă. Cazurile PC şi UNPR|date = July 2017|pages = 3–12|last1 = Radu|first1 = Alexandru|last2 = Public Administration|first2 = Bucharest|website = [[ProQuest]]| id={{ProQuest|2020766446}} }}</ref><br>[[Social democracy]]<ref>https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/stiri/ion-iliescu-si-alexandru-athanasiu-au-semnat-protocolul-pentru-intrarea-psdr-in-polul-democrat-social-din-romania--1gkc.html</ref>
⚫
|membership = 55,000<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.stiripesurse.ro/cati-membri-au-partidele-din-romania-ce-partid-a-pierdut-din-adepti_931222.html | title=Cati membri au partidele din Romania. Ce partid a pierdut din adepti | access-date=18 November 2014}}</ref>
⚫
| position = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]<br>''Before 2005:''<br>[[Centrism|Centre]]
⚫
|ideology = {{nowrap|[[Conservatism]]<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web|url=http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/romania.html|title=Romania|website=Parties and Elections in Europe|first=Wolfram|last=Nordsieck|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025172132/http://www.parties-and-elections.eu/romania.html|archive-date=25 October 2016|year=2015|access-date=7 July 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><br>[[National conservatism]]<ref name="Bakke">{{cite book|first=Elisabeth|last=Bakke|chapter=Central and East European party systems since 1989|title=Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oFXdiS25N78C&pg=PA79|date=18 February 2010|page=79|editor-last=Ramet|editor-first=Sabrina P.|isbn=978-1-139-48750-4}}</ref>}}
| national = [[Social Liberal Union]] (2010–14)<br>[[Social Democratic Union (Romania, 2014)|Social Democratic Union]] (2014–2015)
⚫
|position = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]
| european = [[European People's Party]]<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2020766446|title = Partide politice minore în România postcomunistă. Cazurile PC şi UNPR|date = July 2017|pages = 3–12|last1 = Radu|first1 = Alexandru|last2 = Public Administration|first2 = Bucharest|website = [[ProQuest]]| id={{ProQuest|2020766446}} }}</ref>
|national = [[Social Liberal Union]] (2010–14)
|merged = [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats]]
| europarl = [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]]
|europarl = [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]]
| merged = [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats]]
| successor = [[Social Liberal Humanist Party]] (faction)
|international =
| international =
|colours = [[light blue (color)|Light blue]]
| colours = [[Blue]]
|colorcode = {{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}
| colorcode = {{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}
|website = {{url|http://www.partidulconservator.ro/}}
| website = {{url|http://www.partidulconservator.ro/}}
}}
}}


The '''Conservative Party''' ({{lang-ro|Partidul Conservator}}, PC) was a [[conservatism|conservative]]<ref name="Nordsieck"/> [[list of political parties in Romania|political party in Romania]]. Founded in 1991, after the [[Romanian Revolution of 1989|fall of Communism in Romania]], originally under the name '''Romanian Humanist Party''' (''Partidul Umanist Român'', PUR). From 2005 until 3 December 2006,<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.pur.ro/ro/comunicate/618/ Partidul Conservator s-a retras de la guvernare] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214075205/http://www.pur.ro/ro/comunicate/618/ |date=2007-02-14 }}, party site, 3 December 2006. They left the coalition citing lack of support for their legislative projects by their coalition partners ("…lipsa sprijinului partenerilor de coaliţie pentru proiectele legislative ale PC").</ref> the party was a junior member of the [[Government of Romania]]. The party adopted the name ''Conservative Party'' on 7 May 2005. In June 2015 it merged with the [[Liberal Reformist Party (Romania)|Liberal Reformist Party]] to form the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats]].
The '''Conservative Party''' ({{langx|ro|Partidul Conservator}}, PC) was a [[conservatism|conservative]]<ref name="Nordsieck"/> [[list of political parties in Romania|political party]] in [[Romania]]. It was founded in 1991, approximately two years after the [[Romanian Revolution|fall of Communism in Romania]], originally under the name '''Romanian Humanist Party''' ({{langx|ro|Partidul Umanist Român}}, PUR). From 2005 until 3 December 2006,<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.pur.ro/ro/comunicate/618/ Partidul Conservator s-a retras de la guvernare] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214075205/http://www.pur.ro/ro/comunicate/618/ |date=2007-02-14 }}, party site, 3 December 2006. They left the coalition citing lack of support for their legislative projects by their coalition partners ("…lipsa sprijinului partenerilor de coaliţie pentru proiectele legislative ale PC").</ref> the party was a junior member of the [[Government of Romania]]. The party adopted the name ''Conservative Party'' on 7 May 2005. Subsequently, a little bit more than a decade after, more specifically in June 2015, it merged with the [[Liberal Reformist Party (Romania)|Liberal Reformist Party]] (PLR) to form the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats]] (ALDE).


The Conservative Party stated that it promoted tradition, family, social solidarity, [[European integration]], and a [[nationalism]] without chauvinism. It claimed the heritage of the historical [[Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918)|Romanian Conservative Party]], one of the two main political forces in Romania before the [[World War I|First World War]]. There was no direct, uninterrupted link between the two parties&mdash;the historical Conservative Party was dissolved after World War I&mdash;but the modern party sustained and embraced the values of the historical one.
The Conservative Party (PC) stated that it promoted tradition, family, social solidarity, [[European integration]], and a [[nationalism]] without chauvinism. It claimed the heritage of the historical [[Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918)|Romanian Conservative Party]], one of the two main political forces in Romania before the [[World War I|First World War]]. There was no direct, uninterrupted link between the two parties&mdash;the historical Conservative Party was dissolved after World War I&mdash;but the modern party sustained and embraced the values of the historical one.


==History==
==History==
The Conservative Party was founded as the Romanian Humanist Party (PUR) on 18 December 1991 and was for a time a member of the [[Humanist International]]. It changed its name in 2005 to reflect a shift in its ideology from [[centrism|centrist]] politics to more conservative, [[right-wing politics]]. The party was founded by [[Dan Voiculescu]], a businessman who formally gave control of his companies to relatives. Voiculescu was the founder and former owner of an important [[Mass media|media]] chain comprising among others the top-ranking TV channel [[Antena 1 (Romania)|Antena 1]] and the newspapers ''[[Jurnalul Naţional]]'' and ''[[Gazeta Sporturilor]]''. According to CNA (the state agency for broadcast licensing), he retains significant influence in the Romanian mass media, either through his foundation or through his family.<ref>[http://www.severpress.ro/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1265 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005023845/http://www.severpress.ro/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1265 |date=October 5, 2006 }}</ref>
The Conservative Party was founded as the Romanian Humanist Party (PUR) on 18 December 1991 and was for a time a member of the [[Humanist International]]. It changed its name in 2005 to reflect a shift in its ideology from [[centrism|centrist]] politics to more conservative, [[right-wing politics]]. The party was founded by former well known [[Securitate]]a collaborator and informer [[Dan Voiculescu]], a post-1989 wealthy businessman who formally gave control of his companies to relatives. Voiculescu was the founder and former owner of an important [[Mass media|media]] chain comprising among others the top-ranking TV channel [[Antena 1 (Romania)|Antena 1]] and the newspapers ''[[Jurnalul Naţional]]'' and ''[[Gazeta Sporturilor]]''. According to CNA (the state agency for broadcast licensing), he retains significant influence in the Romanian mass media, either through his foundation or through his family.<ref>[http://www.severpress.ro/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1265] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005023845/http://www.severpress.ro/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1265|date=October 5, 2006}}</ref>


The party generally supported the interests of the Romanian [[middle class]] and especially those of small and middle-size business owners, and performed better electorally at a local level than at a national level. The PUR formed a coalition with the PDSR (now the [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]]), which won the [[2000 Romanian general election|2000 general election]]. The PUR took part in the government under the condition of having the opportunity to promote the interests of its electorate. A Ministry for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises was thus formed, under the leadership of a PUR representative. After two years, the senior partner of the coalition, the PDSR, decided to suppress this Ministry, and consequently the PUR withdrew from the government.
The party generally supported the interests of the Romanian [[middle class]] and especially those of small and middle-size business owners, and performed better electorally at a local level than at a national level. The PUR formed a coalition with the PDSR (now the [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]]), which won the [[2000 Romanian general election|2000 general election]]. The PUR took part in the government under the condition of having the opportunity to promote the interests of its electorate. A Ministry for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises was thus formed, under the leadership of a PUR representative. After two years, the senior partner of the coalition, the PDSR, decided to suppress this Ministry, and consequently the PUR withdrew from the government.
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In the [[2004 Romanian general election#Parliament|2004 parliamentary election]] the PUR again formed an electoral alliance with the PSD. This was a surprising move, as the PUR had strongly attacked the PSD in the June local elections. However, it ensured that the PUR would be able to enter the parliament on the coattails of the much larger party. The elections gave a slight parliamentary plurality to the PSD-PUR coalition, while the new president [[Traian Băsescu]] came from the other major competing coalition, the [[Justice and Truth Alliance]] (DA), formed by the PNL and [[Democratic Party (Romania)|Democratic Party]] (PD). This situation threatened a major political crisis, the President being unwilling to appoint a prime minister from the slightly larger parliamentary bloc, and the DA candidate for prime minister liable not to be ratified by the Parliament, which would have resulted in new parliamentary elections.
In the [[2004 Romanian general election#Parliament|2004 parliamentary election]] the PUR again formed an electoral alliance with the PSD. This was a surprising move, as the PUR had strongly attacked the PSD in the June local elections. However, it ensured that the PUR would be able to enter the parliament on the coattails of the much larger party. The elections gave a slight parliamentary plurality to the PSD-PUR coalition, while the new president [[Traian Băsescu]] came from the other major competing coalition, the [[Justice and Truth Alliance]] (DA), formed by the PNL and [[Democratic Party (Romania)|Democratic Party]] (PD). This situation threatened a major political crisis, the President being unwilling to appoint a prime minister from the slightly larger parliamentary bloc, and the DA candidate for prime minister liable not to be ratified by the Parliament, which would have resulted in new parliamentary elections.


Although initial talks assured the support of PUR for the Justice and Truth, without them joining the government, the election of PSD members [[Adrian Năstase]] and [[Nicolae Văcăroiu]] as Heads of Chambers in the Romanian Parliament, prompted the members of DA to invite PUR to join the government. Although he had been the main advocate of this solution and had strongly pleaded for it, president Băsescu later qualified the solution as "immoral". In return, the conservatives labelled the President as a "hypocrite".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.9am.ro/revistapresei/Politica/2374/Basescu-cere-PURificarea-coalitiei-guvernamentale |title=9AM - cele mai importante stiri ale zilei |publisher=9am.ro |date=2010-11-24 |access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref><ref>http://www.adevarulonline.ro/arhiva/2005/Septembrie/1203/150923/{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Although initial talks assured the support of PUR for the Justice and Truth, without them joining the government, the election of PSD members [[Adrian Năstase]] and [[Nicolae Văcăroiu]] as Heads of Chambers in the Romanian Parliament, prompted the members of DA to invite PUR to join the government. Although he had been the main advocate of this solution and had strongly pleaded for it, president Băsescu later qualified the solution as "immoral". In return, the conservatives labelled the President as a "hypocrite".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.9am.ro/revistapresei/Politica/2374/Basescu-cere-PURificarea-coalitiei-guvernamentale |title=9AM - cele mai importante stiri ale zilei |publisher=9am.ro |date=2010-11-24 |access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref><ref name=":0">http://www.adevarulonline.ro/arhiva/2005/Septembrie/1203/150923/{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


Voiculescu has admitted having been a collaborator with the [[Securitate]], Romania's communist-era internal intelligence service, after information to this effect was released publicly by Romania's National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives. He has actively denied that his collaboration was harmful to any individual.<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/11/news/spooks.php?page=2 Cold War specter lingers in Eastern Europe], ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'', 12 December 2006.</ref> He was initially named to be a Vice Premier in the government of Prime Minister of [[Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu]] but was ultimately not allowed to take the position because of his involvement with the former intelligence service.<ref>[http://www.thediplomat.ro/news_review_0906.htm Secret service revelations claim senior coalition figures], ''[[The Diplomat - Bucharest]]'', September 2006.</ref><ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.bbc.co.uk/romanian/forum/story/2006/06/060616_voiculescu_securitate_cnsas.shtml ''Dan Voiculescu şi fosta Securitate''], "Dan Voiculescu and the former Securitate", [[BBC News]], 16 June 2006.</ref>
Voiculescu has admitted having been a collaborator with the [[Securitate]], Romania's communist-era internal intelligence service, after information to this effect was released publicly by Romania's National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives. He has actively denied that his collaboration was harmful to any individual.<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/11/news/spooks.php?page=2 Cold War specter lingers in Eastern Europe], ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'', 12 December 2006.</ref> He was initially named to be a Vice Premier in the government of Prime Minister of [[Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu]] but was ultimately not allowed to take the position because of his involvement with the former intelligence service.<ref>[http://www.thediplomat.ro/news_review_0906.htm Secret service revelations claim senior coalition figures], ''[[The Diplomat - Bucharest]]'', September 2006.</ref><ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.bbc.co.uk/romanian/forum/story/2006/06/060616_voiculescu_securitate_cnsas.shtml ''Dan Voiculescu şi fosta Securitate''], "Dan Voiculescu and the former Securitate", [[BBC News]], 16 June 2006.</ref>
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The party also supported the introduction of compulsory religious education in Romanian schools (currently, such classes are optional).<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.adevarul.ro/articole/tinerii-conservatori-au-format-un-lant-uman-pentru-promovarea-religiei-in-scoli/342412 Tinerii conservatori au format un lanţ uman pentru promovarea religiei în şcoli] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302201245/http://www.adevarul.ro/articole/tinerii-conservatori-au-format-un-lant-uman-pentru-promovarea-religiei-in-scoli/342412 |date=2008-03-02 }}, ''[[Adevărul]]'', 24 February 2008.</ref>
The party also supported the introduction of compulsory religious education in Romanian schools (currently, such classes are optional).<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [http://www.adevarul.ro/articole/tinerii-conservatori-au-format-un-lant-uman-pentru-promovarea-religiei-in-scoli/342412 Tinerii conservatori au format un lanţ uman pentru promovarea religiei în şcoli] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302201245/http://www.adevarul.ro/articole/tinerii-conservatori-au-format-un-lant-uman-pentru-promovarea-religiei-in-scoli/342412 |date=2008-03-02 }}, ''[[Adevărul]]'', 24 February 2008.</ref>


On 12 February 2006, the [[Romanian National Unity Party]] was absorbed into the Conservative Party.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adz.ro/archiv/p060214.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-12-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717121210/http://www.adz.ro/archiv/p060214.htm |archive-date=2011-07-17 |language=de}}</ref>
On 12 February 2006, the [[Romanian National Unity Party]] was absorbed into the Conservative Party.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adz.ro/archiv/p060214.htm |title=ADZ Online |access-date=2008-12-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717121210/http://www.adz.ro/archiv/p060214.htm |archive-date=2011-07-17 |language=de}}</ref>


On 3 December 2006, the party quit the governing coalition and went into opposition. It continued to perform poorly in opinion polls and faced the prospect of being unlikely to enter parliament at the [[2008 Romanian legislative election|2008 general election]] unless it entered into another pact with either the PSD or the PNL.
On 3 December 2006, the party quit the governing coalition and went into opposition. It continued to perform poorly in opinion polls and faced the prospect of being unlikely to enter parliament at the [[2008 Romanian legislative election|2008 general election]] unless it entered into another pact with either the PSD or the PNL.
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On 17 April 2008, the [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]] and the Conservative Party announced they would form a political alliance for the [[2008 Romanian local elections|2008 local election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/04/17/nb-04 |title=Romania's PSD and PC form alliance |publisher=SETimes.com |date=2008-04-17|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>
On 17 April 2008, the [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|Social Democratic Party]] and the Conservative Party announced they would form a political alliance for the [[2008 Romanian local elections|2008 local election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/04/17/nb-04 |title=Romania's PSD and PC form alliance |publisher=SETimes.com |date=2008-04-17|access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref>


In the [[2008 Romanian legislative election|2008 legislative election]], the Conservative Party also took part in an alliance with PSD, and won 1 seat in the Senate and 4 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parlament2008.9am.ro/alegeri-parlament-2008/113286/BEC-PC-are-4-deputati-si-un-senator-de-pe-urma-aliantei-cu-PSD.html |title=BEC: PC are 4 deputati si un senator, de pe urma aliantei cu PSD |publisher=Parlament2008.9am.ro |access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref> Before that, the Conservatives had proposed an alliance with the [[Greater Romania Party]] (PRM). The PRM leader emphatically rejected the offer, as it was presumed that PRM would be absorbed by the Conservative Party.<ref>http://adz.ro/p080807.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811044547/http://adz.ro/p080807.htm |date=2011-08-11 }} {{in lang|de}}</ref> Similarly, the party ran in the [[2009 European Parliament election in Romania|2009 European election]] in a coalition with the PSD, called [[National Union PSD+PC]], and won 1 MEP seat ([[Sabin Cutaș|George Sabin Cutaș]]). Despite being from a centre-right party, Cutaș joined the [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats]].
In the [[2008 Romanian legislative election|2008 legislative election]], the Conservative Party also took part in an alliance with PSD, and won 1 seat in the Senate and 4 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parlament2008.9am.ro/alegeri-parlament-2008/113286/BEC-PC-are-4-deputati-si-un-senator-de-pe-urma-aliantei-cu-PSD.html |title=BEC: PC are 4 deputati si un senator, de pe urma aliantei cu PSD |publisher=Parlament2008.9am.ro |access-date=2011-01-06}}</ref> Before that, the Conservatives had proposed an alliance with the [[Greater Romania Party]] (PRM). The PRM leader emphatically rejected the offer, as it was presumed that PRM would be absorbed by the Conservative Party.<ref>http://adz.ro/p080807.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811044547/http://adz.ro/p080807.htm |date=2011-08-11 }} {{in lang|de}}</ref> Similarly, the party ran in the [[2009 European Parliament election in Romania|2009 European election]] in a coalition with the PSD, called [[National Union PSD+PC]], and won 1 MEP seat ([[Sabin Cutaș|George Sabin Cutaș]]).


On 5 February 2010, the PC joined the [[Social Liberal Union]] (USL) along with the PSD and PNL.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.cri.cn/6966/2011/02/06/1461s619327.htm|title=Romanian Oppositions Form Alliance}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n241429|title=FOCUS Information Agency}}</ref> The USL dissolved on 25 February 2014 upon the exit of the PNL from the alliance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sofiaglobe.com/2014/02/25/romanias-liberals-to-leave-ruling-coalition-government/|title=Romania's Liberals to leave ruling coalition, government|date=25 February 2014}}</ref>
On 5 February 2011, the PC joined the [[Social Liberal Union]] (USL) along with the PSD and PNL.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.cri.cn/6966/2011/02/06/1461s619327.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020074349/http://english.cri.cn/6966/2011/02/06/1461s619327.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 20, 2012|title=Romanian Oppositions Form Alliance}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n241429|title=FOCUS Information Agency}}</ref> The USL dissolved on 25 February 2014 upon the exit of the PNL from the alliance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sofiaglobe.com/2014/02/25/romanias-liberals-to-leave-ruling-coalition-government/|title=Romania's Liberals to leave ruling coalition, government|date=25 February 2014}}</ref>


On 19 June 2015, the Conservative Party merged with the [[Liberal Reformist Party (Romania)|Liberal Reformist Party]] (PLR) to form the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats]] (ALDE) party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.romania-insider.com/new-political-party-in-romania/151429/|title=New political party in Romania|work=Romania-Insider.com|access-date=2015-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626163545/http://www.romania-insider.com/new-political-party-in-romania/151429/|archive-date=2015-06-26|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aldeparty.eu/en/news/alde-party-president-welcomes-establishment-new-party-romania|title=ALDE Party President welcomes establishment of new party in Romania|work=ALDE Party|access-date=2015-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171556/http://www.aldeparty.eu/en/news/alde-party-president-welcomes-establishment-new-party-romania|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 19 June 2015, the Conservative Party merged with the [[Liberal Reformist Party (Romania)|Liberal Reformist Party]] (PLR) to form the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats]] (ALDE) party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.romania-insider.com/new-political-party-in-romania/151429/|title=New political party in Romania|work=Romania-Insider.com|access-date=2015-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626163545/http://www.romania-insider.com/new-political-party-in-romania/151429/|archive-date=2015-06-26|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aldeparty.eu/en/news/alde-party-president-welcomes-establishment-new-party-romania|title=ALDE Party President welcomes establishment of new party in Romania|work=ALDE Party|access-date=2015-06-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171556/http://www.aldeparty.eu/en/news/alde-party-president-welcomes-establishment-new-party-romania|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Line 65: Line 67:


==Electoral history==
==Electoral history==
===Legislative elections===
=== Legislative elections ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
! rowspan="2" |Election
! rowspan="2" |Election
Line 83: Line 86:
|22,908
|22,908
|0.21
|0.21
|{{Composition bar|0|341|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|341|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|16,484
|16,484
|0.15
|0.15
|{{Composition bar|0|143|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|143|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|style="text-align: center;"|25th<br>(as PUR)
|style="text-align: center;"|{{color box|gray|25th}}<br>(as PUR)
|{{partial|Extra-parliamentary supporting the government}}
|{{partial|Extra-parliamentary supporting the government}}
|-
|-
Line 93: Line 96:
|106,069
|106,069
|0.87
|0.87
|{{Composition bar|0|343|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|343|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|118,859
|118,859
|0.97
|0.97
|{{Composition bar|0|143|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|{{Composition bar|0|143|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|style="text-align: center;"|12th<br>(within UNC)<sup>1</sup>
|style="text-align: center;"|{{color box|gray|12th}}<br>(within UNC)<sup>1</sup>
|{{no2|Extra-parliamentary opposition}}
|{{no2|Extra-parliamentary opposition}}
|-
|-
Line 103: Line 106:
|3,968,464
|3,968,464
|36.61
|36.61
|{{Composition bar|6|345|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|{{Composition bar|6|345|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|4,040,212
|4,040,212
|37.09
|37.09
|{{Composition bar|4|140|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|{{Composition bar|4|140|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|style="text-align: center;"|1st<br>(within [[Social Democratic Pole of Romania|PDSR]])<sup>2</sup>
|style="text-align: center;"|{{color box|gold|1st}}<br>(within [[Social Democratic Pole of Romania|PDSR]])<sup>2</sup>
|{{yes2|[[Social Democratic Pole of Romania|PDSR]] minority government<br>(<small>with [[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania|UDMR]] support</small>)}}
|{{yes2|[[Social Democratic Pole of Romania|PDSR]] minority government<br>(<small>with [[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania|UDMR]] support</small>)}}
|-
|-
Line 113: Line 116:
|rowspan=2|3,730,352
|rowspan=2|3,730,352
|rowspan=2|36.61
|rowspan=2|36.61
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|19|332|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|19|332|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|rowspan=2|3,798,607
|rowspan=2|3,798,607
|rowspan=2|36.30
|rowspan=2|36.30
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|11|137|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|rowspan=2|{{Composition bar|11|137|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|rowspan=2; style="text-align: center;"|1st<br>(within [[National Union PSD+PUR|PSD+PUR]])<sup>3</sup>
|rowspan=2; style="text-align: center;"|{{color box|gold|1st}}<br>(within [[National Union PSD+PUR|PSD+PUR]])<sup>3</sup>
|{{yes2|[[Justice and Truth Alliance|DA]]-[[Romanian Humanist Party|PUR]]<sup>4</sup>-[[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania|UDMR]] government (until April 2007)}}
|{{yes2|[[Justice and Truth Alliance|DA]]-PUR<sup>4</sup>-[[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania|UDMR]] government (until April 2007)}}
|-
|-
|{{no2|Opposition to a minority [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|PNL]]-[[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania|UDMR]] government}}
|{{no2|Opposition to a minority [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|PNL]]-[[Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania|UDMR]] government}}
Line 125: Line 128:
|rowspan=3|2,279,449
|rowspan=3|2,279,449
|rowspan=3|33.10
|rowspan=3|33.10
|rowspan=3|{{Composition bar|4|334|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|rowspan=3|{{Composition bar|4|334|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|rowspan=3|2,352,968
|rowspan=3|2,352,968
|rowspan=3|34.16
|rowspan=3|34.16
|rowspan=3|{{Composition bar|1|137|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|rowspan=3|{{Composition bar|1|137|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|rowspan=3; style="text-align: center;"|2nd<br>(within [[Alliance PSD+PC|PSD+PC]])<sup>5</sup>
|rowspan=3; style="text-align: center;"|{{color box|silver|2nd}}<br>(within [[Alliance PSD+PC|PSD+PC]])<sup>5</sup>
|{{no2|Opposition to [[Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)|PDL]]-[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]]}} government (until December 2009)
|{{no2|Opposition to [[Democratic Liberal Party (Romania)|PDL]]-[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]]}} government (until December 2009)
|-
|-
Line 139: Line 142:
|rowspan=4|4,344,288
|rowspan=4|4,344,288
|rowspan=4|58.63
|rowspan=4|58.63
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|13|412|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|13|412|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|rowspan=4|4,457,526
|rowspan=4|4,457,526
|rowspan=4|60.10
|rowspan=4|60.10
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|8|176|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
|rowspan=4|{{Composition bar|8|176|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
|rowspan=4; style="text-align: center;"|1st<br>(within [[Social Liberal Union (Romania)|USL]])<sup>6</sup>
|rowspan=4; style="text-align: center;"|{{color box|gold|1st}}<br>(within [[Social Liberal Union (Romania)|USL]])<sup>6</sup>
|{{yes2|[[Social Liberal Union|USL]] government (until March 2014)}}
|{{yes2|[[Social Liberal Union|USL]] government (until March 2014)}}
|-
|-
Line 150: Line 153:
|{{yes2|[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]]-[[National Union for the Progress of Romania|UNPR]]-[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|ALDE]]<sup>7</sup> government}} (until November 2015)
|{{yes2|[[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]]-[[National Union for the Progress of Romania|UNPR]]-[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|ALDE]]<sup>7</sup> government}} (until November 2015)
|-
|-
|{{partial|Supporting [[Cioloș Cabinet]] ([[Independent (politician)|Ind.]])}}
|{{partial|Supporting [[Cioloș Cabinet]] ([[Independent politician|Ind.]])}}
|}
|}


'''Notes''':
'''Notes''':


<sup>1</sup> <small>National Union of the Centre (UNC) members: [[Democratic Agrarian Party of Romania|PDAR]], [[Ecological Movement of Romania|MER]] and PUR.</small>
<sup>1</sup> <small>National Union of the Centre (UNC) members: [[Democratic Agrarian Party of Romania|PDAR]], [[Ecological Movement of Romania|MER]], and PUR.</small>
<br />
<br />
<sup>2</sup> <small>[[Social Democratic Pole of Romania]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PDSR]] (59 senators and 139 deputies), [[Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990–2001)|PSDR]] (2 senators and 10 deputies) and PUR (4 senators and 6 deputies).</small>
<sup>2</sup> <small>[[Social Democratic Pole of Romania]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PDSR]] (59 senators and 139 deputies), [[Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990–2001)|PSDR]] (2 senators and 10 deputies), and PUR (4 senators and 6 deputies).</small>
<br />
<br />
<sup>3</sup> <small>[[National Union PSD+PUR]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (46 senators and 113 deputies) and PUR (11 senators and 19 deputies).</small>
<sup>3</sup> <small>[[National Union PSD+PUR]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (46 senators and 113 deputies) and PUR (11 senators and 19 deputies).</small>
<br />
<br />
<sup>4</sup> <small>Soon after the elections, PUR broke the alliance and switched sides, joining [[Justice and Truth Alliance]].</small>
<sup>4</sup> <small>Soon after the elections, PUR broke the alliance and switched sides, joining [[Justice and Truth Alliance]] (DA).</small>
<br />
<br />
<sup>5</sup> <small>[[Alliance PSD+PC]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (48 senators and 110 deputies) and PC (1 senator and 4 deputies).</small>
<sup>5</sup> <small>[[Alliance PSD+PC]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (48 senators and 110 deputies) and PC (1 senator and 4 deputies).</small>
Line 168: Line 171:
<br />
<br />
<sup>7</sup> <small>[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|ALDE]] was created in June 2015 from a merger of [[Liberal Reformist Party (Romania)|PLR]] (a splinter of [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|PNL]]) and PC.</small>
<sup>7</sup> <small>[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romania)|ALDE]] was created in June 2015 from a merger of [[Liberal Reformist Party (Romania)|PLR]] (a splinter of [[National Liberal Party (Romania)|PNL]]) and PC.</small>
<br />


===Presidential elections===
===Presidential elections===
Line 185: Line 187:
|-align=center
|-align=center
![[1996 Romanian general election|1996]]
![[1996 Romanian general election|1996]]
| {{no2|Ion Pop de Popa}} || 59,752 || {{Percentage bar|0.5|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|gray|10th}} || bgcolor=lightgrey colspan=3|
| {{no2|Ion Pop de Popa}} || 59,752 || {{Percentage bar|0.5|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|gray|10th}} || bgcolor=lightgrey colspan=3|
|-align=center
|-align=center
![[2000 Romanian general election|2000]]
![[2000 Romanian general election|2000]]
| {{yes2|'''[[Ion Iliescu]]'''}}<sup>1</sup> || 4,076,273 || {{Percentage bar|36.4|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}} || 6,696,623 || {{Percentage bar|66.8|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}}
| {{yes2|'''[[Ion Iliescu]]'''}}<sup>1</sup> || 4,076,273 || {{Percentage bar|36.4|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}} || 6,696,623 || {{Percentage bar|66.8|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}}
|-align=center
|-align=center
![[2004 Romanian general election|2004]]
![[2004 Romanian general election|2004]]
| {{no2|[[Adrian Năstase]]}}<sup>2</sup>|| 4,278,864 || {{Percentage bar|40.9|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}} || 4,881,520 || {{Percentage bar|48.8|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|silver|2nd}}
| {{no2|[[Adrian Năstase]]}}<sup>2</sup>|| 4,278,864 || {{Percentage bar|40.9|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}} || 4,881,520 || {{Percentage bar|48.8|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|silver|2nd}}
|-align=center
|-align=center
![[2014 Romanian presidential election|2014]]
![[2014 Romanian presidential election|2014]]
| {{no2|[[Victor Ponta]]}}<sup>3</sup> || 3,836,093 || {{Percentage bar|40.4|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}} || 5,264,383 || {{Percentage bar|45.6|c={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}} || {{color box|silver|2nd}}
| {{no2|[[Victor Ponta]]}}<sup>3</sup> || 3,836,093 || {{Percentage bar|40.4|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|gold|1st}} || 5,264,383 || {{Percentage bar|45.6|c={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}} || {{color box|silver|2nd}}
|}
|}


'''Notes''':
'''Notes''':


<sup>1</sup> <small>Ion Iliescu was a member of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PDSR]], but endorsed by [[Social Democratic Pole of Romania]] (same acronym as the main party: PDSR), an alliance made of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PDSR]], [[Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990–2001)|PSDR]] and PC.</small>
<sup>1</sup> <small>Ion Iliescu was a member of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PDSR]], but endorsed by [[Social Democratic Pole of Romania]] (same acronym as the main party: PDSR), an alliance made of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PDSR]], [[Romanian Social Democratic Party (1990–2001)|PSDR]], and PC.</small>
<br />


<sup>2</sup> <small>Adrian Năstase was a member of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]], but endorsed by [[National Union PSD+PUR]], an alliance made of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] and PC.</small>
<sup>2</sup> <small>Adrian Năstase was a member of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]], but endorsed by [[National Union PSD+PUR]], an alliance made of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] and PC.</small>
<br />


<sup>3</sup> <small>Victor Ponta was a member of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]], but endorsed by an alliance made of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]], [[National Union for the Progress of Romania|UNPR]] and PC.</small>
<sup>3</sup> <small>Victor Ponta was a member of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]], but endorsed by an alliance made of [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]], [[National Union for the Progress of Romania|UNPR]], and PC.</small>
<br />


=== European elections ===
=== European elections ===
Line 216: Line 215:
| 150,385
| 150,385
| 2.93%
| 2.93%
| {{Composition bar|0|35|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
| {{Composition bar|0|35|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
| {{color box|gray|9th}}
| {{color box|gray|9th}}
| [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]
| [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe|ALDE]]
Line 224: Line 223:
| 1,504,218
| 1,504,218
| 31.07%
| 31.07%
| {{Composition bar|1|33|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
| {{Composition bar|1|33|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
| {{color box|Gold|1st}}<br><small>(within [[Alliance PSD+PC|PSD+PC]])</small><sup>1</sup>
| {{color box|Gold|1st}}<br><small>(within [[Alliance PSD+PC|PSD+PC]])</small><sup>1</sup>
| [[Party of European Socialists|PES]]
| [[Party of European Socialists|PES]]
Line 232: Line 231:
| 2,093,237
| 2,093,237
| 37.60%
| 37.60%
| {{Composition bar|2|32|hex={{Conservative Party (Romania)/meta/color}}}}
| {{Composition bar|2|32|hex={{party color|Conservative Party (Romania)}}}}
| {{color box|Gold|1st}}<br><small>(within USD)</small><sup>2</sup>
| {{color box|Gold|1st}}<br><small>(within USD)</small><sup>2</sup>
| [[Party of European Socialists|PES]]
| [[Party of European Socialists|PES]]
Line 241: Line 240:


<sup>1</sup> <small>[[Alliance PSD+PC]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (10 MEPs) and PC.</small>
<sup>1</sup> <small>[[Alliance PSD+PC]] members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (10 MEPs) and PC.</small>
<br/>


<sup>2</sup> <small>Social Democractic Union (USD) members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (12 MEPs), PC and [[National Union for the Progress of Romania|UNPR]] (2 MEPs).</small>
<sup>2</sup> <small>Social Democratic Union (USD) members: [[Social Democratic Party (Romania)|PSD]] (12 MEPs), PC, and [[National Union for the Progress of Romania|UNPR]] (2 MEPs).</small>
<br/>


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 04:23, 19 November 2024

For the Conservative Party which existed in Romania between 1880 and 1918, see Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918).
Conservative Party
Partidul Conservator
PresidentDaniel Constantin
Secretary-GeneralDamian Florea
FounderDan Voiculescu
Founded18 December 1991 (1991-12-18)
Dissolved19 June 2015
Merged intoAlliance of Liberals and Democrats
Succeeded bySocial Liberal Humanist Party (faction)
HeadquartersCalea Victoriei, 118
Bucharest
Membership (2014)55,000[1]
IdeologySocial conservatism[2]
National conservatism[3]
Liberal conservatism[4]
Before 2005:
Humanism
Social liberalism[5]
Social democracy[6]
Political positionCentre-right
Before 2005:
Centre
National affiliationSocial Liberal Union (2010–14)
Social Democratic Union (2014–2015)
European affiliationEuropean People's Party[7]
European Parliament groupProgressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
ColoursBlue
Website
www.partidulconservator.ro

The Conservative Party (Romanian: Partidul Conservator, PC) was a conservative[2] political party in Romania. It was founded in 1991, approximately two years after the fall of Communism in Romania, originally under the name Romanian Humanist Party (Romanian: Partidul Umanist Român, PUR). From 2005 until 3 December 2006,[8] the party was a junior member of the Government of Romania. The party adopted the name Conservative Party on 7 May 2005. Subsequently, a little bit more than a decade after, more specifically in June 2015, it merged with the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) to form the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE).

The Conservative Party (PC) stated that it promoted tradition, family, social solidarity, European integration, and a nationalism without chauvinism. It claimed the heritage of the historical Romanian Conservative Party, one of the two main political forces in Romania before the First World War. There was no direct, uninterrupted link between the two parties—the historical Conservative Party was dissolved after World War I—but the modern party sustained and embraced the values of the historical one.

History

[edit]

The Conservative Party was founded as the Romanian Humanist Party (PUR) on 18 December 1991 and was for a time a member of the Humanist International. It changed its name in 2005 to reflect a shift in its ideology from centrist politics to more conservative, right-wing politics. The party was founded by former well known Securitatea collaborator and informer Dan Voiculescu, a post-1989 wealthy businessman who formally gave control of his companies to relatives. Voiculescu was the founder and former owner of an important media chain comprising among others the top-ranking TV channel Antena 1 and the newspapers Jurnalul Naţional and Gazeta Sporturilor. According to CNA (the state agency for broadcast licensing), he retains significant influence in the Romanian mass media, either through his foundation or through his family.[9]

The party generally supported the interests of the Romanian middle class and especially those of small and middle-size business owners, and performed better electorally at a local level than at a national level. The PUR formed a coalition with the PDSR (now the Social Democratic Party), which won the 2000 general election. The PUR took part in the government under the condition of having the opportunity to promote the interests of its electorate. A Ministry for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises was thus formed, under the leadership of a PUR representative. After two years, the senior partner of the coalition, the PDSR, decided to suppress this Ministry, and consequently the PUR withdrew from the government.

In the local elections of June 2004, the PUR obtained 6% of the votes and, among others, managed to win in one important city, Bacău. During this election, the party strongly attacked the PSD and its alleged system of "local barons". After the surprising alliance of PUR with PSD, Romeo Stavarache, the mayor of Bacău, switched to the National Liberal Party (PNL) after a disagreement with Voiculescu, saying that he found it impossible to cooperate with the "local barons" he had struggled to defeat.[10]

In the 2004 parliamentary election the PUR again formed an electoral alliance with the PSD. This was a surprising move, as the PUR had strongly attacked the PSD in the June local elections. However, it ensured that the PUR would be able to enter the parliament on the coattails of the much larger party. The elections gave a slight parliamentary plurality to the PSD-PUR coalition, while the new president Traian Băsescu came from the other major competing coalition, the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA), formed by the PNL and Democratic Party (PD). This situation threatened a major political crisis, the President being unwilling to appoint a prime minister from the slightly larger parliamentary bloc, and the DA candidate for prime minister liable not to be ratified by the Parliament, which would have resulted in new parliamentary elections.

Although initial talks assured the support of PUR for the Justice and Truth, without them joining the government, the election of PSD members Adrian Năstase and Nicolae Văcăroiu as Heads of Chambers in the Romanian Parliament, prompted the members of DA to invite PUR to join the government. Although he had been the main advocate of this solution and had strongly pleaded for it, president Băsescu later qualified the solution as "immoral". In return, the conservatives labelled the President as a "hypocrite".[11][12]

Voiculescu has admitted having been a collaborator with the Securitate, Romania's communist-era internal intelligence service, after information to this effect was released publicly by Romania's National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives. He has actively denied that his collaboration was harmful to any individual.[13] He was initially named to be a Vice Premier in the government of Prime Minister of Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu but was ultimately not allowed to take the position because of his involvement with the former intelligence service.[14][15]

On 7 May 2005 the party adopted the name Conservative Party to reflect a change of doctrine from centrism to a more conservative stance. However, its ideology remained fluid, since it supported certain leftist positions, such as increasing corporate taxation.

In 2005, the party organised a march "for family values" as a reaction to Bucharest Pride. The party was opposed to the legalisation of same-sex marriage, even though Octavian Petrovici, a vice-president of the party's Bucharest division, stated in 2006 that the party "respects the choice" of same-sex couples.[16]

The party also supported the introduction of compulsory religious education in Romanian schools (currently, such classes are optional).[17]

On 12 February 2006, the Romanian National Unity Party was absorbed into the Conservative Party.[18]

On 3 December 2006, the party quit the governing coalition and went into opposition. It continued to perform poorly in opinion polls and faced the prospect of being unlikely to enter parliament at the 2008 general election unless it entered into another pact with either the PSD or the PNL.

On 17 April 2008, the Social Democratic Party and the Conservative Party announced they would form a political alliance for the 2008 local election.[19]

In the 2008 legislative election, the Conservative Party also took part in an alliance with PSD, and won 1 seat in the Senate and 4 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.[20] Before that, the Conservatives had proposed an alliance with the Greater Romania Party (PRM). The PRM leader emphatically rejected the offer, as it was presumed that PRM would be absorbed by the Conservative Party.[21] Similarly, the party ran in the 2009 European election in a coalition with the PSD, called National Union PSD+PC, and won 1 MEP seat (George Sabin Cutaș).

On 5 February 2011, the PC joined the Social Liberal Union (USL) along with the PSD and PNL.[22][23] The USL dissolved on 25 February 2014 upon the exit of the PNL from the alliance.[24]

On 19 June 2015, the Conservative Party merged with the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) to form the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) party.[25][26]

Notable members

[edit]

Electoral history

[edit]

Legislative elections

[edit]
Election Chamber Senate Position Aftermath
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
1992 22,908 0.21
0 / 341
 16,484 0.15
0 / 143
  25th 
(as PUR) 		Extra-parliamentary supporting the government
1996 106,069 0.87
0 / 343
 118,859 0.97
0 / 143
  12th 
(within UNC)1 		Extra-parliamentary opposition
2000 3,968,464 36.61
6 / 345
 4,040,212 37.09
4 / 140
  1st 
(within PDSR)2 		PDSR minority government
(with UDMR support)
2004 3,730,352 36.61
19 / 332
 3,798,607 36.30
11 / 137
  1st 
(within PSD+PUR)3 		DA-PUR4-UDMR government (until April 2007)
Opposition to a minority PNL-UDMR government
2008 2,279,449 33.10
4 / 334
 2,352,968 34.16
1 / 137
  2nd 
(within PSD+PC)5 		Opposition to PDL-PSD government (until December 2009)
Opposition to PDL-UNPR-UDMR (until May 2012)
USL government (until December 2012)
2012 4,344,288 58.63
13 / 412
 4,457,526 60.10
8 / 176
  1st 
(within USL)6 		USL government (until March 2014)
PSD-UNPR-UDMR-PC government (until December 2014)
PSD-UNPR-ALDE7 government (until November 2015)
Supporting Cioloș Cabinet (Ind.)

Notes:

1 National Union of the Centre (UNC) members: PDAR, MER, and PUR.
2 Social Democratic Pole of Romania members: PDSR (59 senators and 139 deputies), PSDR (2 senators and 10 deputies), and PUR (4 senators and 6 deputies).
3 National Union PSD+PUR members: PSD (46 senators and 113 deputies) and PUR (11 senators and 19 deputies).
4 Soon after the elections, PUR broke the alliance and switched sides, joining Justice and Truth Alliance (DA).
5 Alliance PSD+PC members: PSD (48 senators and 110 deputies) and PC (1 senator and 4 deputies).
6 USL was an alliance of two smaller alliances: Centre Left Alliance (between PSD and UNPR) and Centre Right Alliance (between PNL and PC). Centre Left Alliance: PSD (58 senators and 149 deputies) and UNPR (5 senators and 10 deputies); Centre Right Alliance: PNL (51 senators and 101 deputies) and PC (8 senators and 13 deputies).
7 ALDE was created in June 2015 from a merger of PLR (a splinter of PNL) and PC.

Presidential elections

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Election Candidate First round Second round
Votes Percentage Position Votes Percentage Position
1996 Ion Pop de Popa 59,752
0.5%
  10th 
2000 Ion Iliescu1 4,076,273
36.4%
  1st  6,696,623
66.8%
  1st 
2004 Adrian Năstase2 4,278,864
40.9%
  1st  4,881,520
48.8%
  2nd 
2014 Victor Ponta3 3,836,093
40.4%
  1st  5,264,383
45.6%
  2nd 

Notes:

1 Ion Iliescu was a member of PDSR, but endorsed by Social Democratic Pole of Romania (same acronym as the main party: PDSR), an alliance made of PDSR, PSDR, and PC.

2 Adrian Năstase was a member of PSD, but endorsed by National Union PSD+PUR, an alliance made of PSD and PC.

3 Victor Ponta was a member of PSD, but endorsed by an alliance made of PSD, UNPR, and PC.

European elections

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Election Votes Percentage MEPs Position EU Party EP Group
2007 150,385 2.93%
0 / 35
  9th  ALDE —
2009 1,504,218 31.07%
1 / 33
  1st 
(within PSD+PC)1 		PES S&D
2014 2,093,237 37.60%
2 / 32
  1st 
(within USD)2 		PES S&D

Notes:

1 Alliance PSD+PC members: PSD (10 MEPs) and PC.

2 Social Democratic Union (USD) members: PSD (12 MEPs), PC, and UNPR (2 MEPs).

See also

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Conservatism portal

Notes

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  1. ^ "Cati membri au partidele din Romania. Ce partid a pierdut din adepti". 10 September 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2015). "Romania". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  3. ^ Bakke, Elisabeth (18 February 2010). "Central and East European party systems since 1989". In Ramet, Sabrina P. (ed.). Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989. Cambridge University Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-139-48750-4.
  4. ^ "Parties-and-elections.de". Archived from the original on 2006-04-30.
  5. ^ Radu, Alexandru; Public Administration, Bucharest (July 2017). "Partide politice minore în România postcomunistă. Cazurile PC şi UNPR". ProQuest: 3–12. ProQuest 2020766446.
  6. ^ https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/stiri/ion-iliescu-si-alexandru-athanasiu-au-semnat-protocolul-pentru-intrarea-psdr-in-polul-democrat-social-din-romania--1gkc.html
  7. ^ Radu, Alexandru; Public Administration, Bucharest (July 2017). "Partide politice minore în România postcomunistă. Cazurile PC şi UNPR". ProQuest: 3–12. ProQuest 2020766446.
  8. ^ (in Romanian) Partidul Conservator s-a retras de la guvernare Archived 2007-02-14 at the Wayback Machine, party site, 3 December 2006. They left the coalition citing lack of support for their legislative projects by their coalition partners ("…lipsa sprijinului partenerilor de coaliţie pentru proiectele legislative ale PC").
  9. ^ [1] Archived October 5, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "" Politică " Bacăul are primărie "liberală"". Evenimentul.ro. 2004-10-18. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  11. ^ "9AM - cele mai importante stiri ale zilei". 9am.ro. 2010-11-24. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  12. ^ http://www.adevarulonline.ro/arhiva/2005/Septembrie/1203/150923/[permanent dead link‍]
  13. ^ Cold War specter lingers in Eastern Europe, International Herald Tribune, 12 December 2006.
  14. ^ Secret service revelations claim senior coalition figures, The Diplomat - Bucharest, September 2006.
  15. ^ (in Romanian) Dan Voiculescu şi fosta Securitate, "Dan Voiculescu and the former Securitate", BBC News, 16 June 2006.
  16. ^ (in Romanian) Familia Florin şi Raul nu primeşte credit cu buletinul, Cotidianul, 6 June 2006.
  17. ^ (in Romanian) Tinerii conservatori au format un lanţ uman pentru promovarea religiei în şcoli Archived 2008-03-02 at the Wayback Machine, Adevărul, 24 February 2008.
  18. ^ "ADZ Online" (in German). Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
  19. ^ "Romania's PSD and PC form alliance". SETimes.com. 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  20. ^ "BEC: PC are 4 deputati si un senator, de pe urma aliantei cu PSD". Parlament2008.9am.ro. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  21. ^ http://adz.ro/p080807.htm Archived 2011-08-11 at the Wayback Machine (in German)
  22. ^ "Romanian Oppositions Form Alliance". Archived from the original on October 20, 2012.
  23. ^ "FOCUS Information Agency".
  24. ^ "Romania's Liberals to leave ruling coalition, government". 25 February 2014.
  25. ^ "New political party in Romania". Romania-Insider.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  26. ^ "ALDE Party President welcomes establishment of new party in Romania". ALDE Party. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
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