1992 Romanian general election explained

Country:Romania
Previous Election:1990 Romanian general election
Previous Year:1990
Next Election:1996 Romanian general election
Next Year:1996
Module:
Embed:yes
Election Name:Presidential election
Type:presidential
Election Date:27 September 1992 (first round)
11 October 1992 (second round)
Turnout:76.29% (first round)
73.23% (second round)
Image1:Ion Iliescu 1990s.jpg
Nominee1:Ion Iliescu
Colour1:D13137
Party1:Independent politician
Alliance1:Democratic National Salvation Front
Popular Vote1:7,393,429
Percentage1:61.43%
Party2:PNȚCD
Alliance2:Romanian Democratic Convention
Popular Vote2:4,641,207
Percentage2:38.57%
President
Before Election:Ion Iliescu
After Election:Ion Iliescu
Before Party:Democratic National Salvation Front
After Party:Democratic National Salvation Front
Module:
Embed:yes
Election Name:Parliamentary election
Seats For Election:All 143 seats in the Senate
All 341 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Election Date:27 September 1992
Heading1:Chamber of Deputies
Party1:Democratic National Salvation Front
Leader1:Ion Iliescu
Percentage1:27.75
Seats1:117
Last Election1:New
Party2:Romanian Democratic Convention
Leader2:Emil Constantinescu
Percentage2:20.05
Seats2:82
Last Election2:51
Party3:National Salvation Front (Romania)
Leader3:Petre Roman
Percentage3:10.17
Seats3:43
Last Election3:263
Party4:Romanian National Unity Party
Leader4:Gheorghe Funar
Percentage4:7.73
Seats4:30
Last Election4:9
Party5:Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
Leader5:Géza Domokos
Percentage5:7.48
Seats5:27
Last Election5:29
Party6:Greater Romania Party
Percentage6:3.90
Last Election6:New
Seats6:16
Party7:Socialist Party of Labour
Leader7:Ilie Verdeț
Percentage7:3.03
Seats7:13
Last Election7:New
Party8:Romanian ethnic minority parties
Percentage8:2.00
Seats8:13
Last Election8:11
Heading9:Senate
Party9:Democratic National Salvation Front
Last Election9:New
Leader9:Ion Iliescu
Percentage9:28.31
Seats9:49
Party10:Romanian Democratic Convention
Leader10:Emil Constantinescu
Percentage10:20.19
Seats10:34
Last Election10:12
Party11:National Salvation Front (Romania)
Leader11:Petre Roman
Percentage11:10.38
Seats11:18
Last Election11:91
Party12:Romanian National Unity Party
Leader12:Gheorghe Funar
Percentage12:8.13
Seats12:14
Last Election12:2
Party13:Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
Leader13:Géza Domokos
Percentage13:7.60
Seats13:12
Last Election13:12
Party14:Greater Romania Party
Last Election14:New
Percentage14:3.86
Seats14:6
Party15:Democratic Agrarian Party of Romania
Leader15:Victor Surdu
Percentage15:3.29
Seats15:5
Last Election15:0
Party16:Socialist Party of Labour
Leader16:Ilie Verdeț
Percentage16:3.18
Seats16:5
Last Election16:New
Prime Minister
Posttitle:Prime Minister-designate
Before Election:Theodor Stolojan
After Election:Nicolae Văcăroiu
Before Party:National Salvation Front (Romania)
After Party:FDSN

General elections were held in Romania on 27 September 1992, with a second round of the presidential election on 11 October.[1] They were the first held after the adoption of a permanent constitution via a referendum held the previous winter.

Incumbent President Ion Iliescu led the field in the first round, but was forced into a run off with Emil Constantinescu, candidate of the oppositional Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR). Constantinescu ran on a quicker transition to a market economy and purging remaining communist influence from the government. He benefited from a marked downturn in Iliescu's popularity tied to both high unemployment and concerns that Iliescu was wavering in his commitment to democracy.[2] [3]

Despite this, opinion polls ahead of the runoff suggested that Iliescu was favoured for a second full term. Not only was it believed that his 16-point first-round lead was too large for Constantinescu to overcome, but most of the minor candidates were expected to eventually offer their support to Iliescu in the second round.[4] In the end, Iliescu was reelected with 61 percent of the vote. The 1992 Romanian presidential election was the second of its kind held in post-1989 Romania.

In the parliamentary election, Iliescu's Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN), which had split off from the National Salvation Front (FSN) earlier in the year, emerged as the largest party in Parliament, winning 117 of the 341 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 49 of the 143 seats in the Senate.

Presidential candidates

Participating candidates

NameLifespanPublic Administration ExperienceAffiliation and endorsementsAlma mater and professionCandidacy

Ion Iliescu
Born:
(age)
Oltenița, Călărași County
President of Romania (1989–election day)
President of Water Surfaces Management Council (1979–1984)
Member of the State Council (full member: 1979–1980, observative: 1974–1979)
President of Iași County Council (1974–1979)
Vice-President of Timiș County Council (1971–1974)
Minister of Youth (1967–1971)
Deputy (1957–1961, 1965–1973, 1975–1985)
Former presidential election:
1990: 85.1% (winner)
Affiliation: FDSNEnergy Institute, Moscow State University (1954)

fluid mechanics engineer,
publishing house manager

Emil Constantinescu
Born:
(age)
Tighina (today: de jure, Republic of Moldova; de facto Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic)
Rector of University of Bucharest (1992–election day)Affiliation: CDRFaculty of Law, University of Bucharest (1960)
Faculty of Geology, University of Bucharest (1966)

geology professor

Gheorghe Funar
Born:
(age)
Sânnicolau Mare, Timiș County
Mayor of Cluj-Napoca (1992–election day)Affiliation: PUNRFaculty of Economics and Business Management, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (unknown year)

economist

Caius Traian Dragomir
Born:
(age)
Slatina, Olt County
State Secretary for Public Information with the Government of Romania (1991–election day)Affiliation: none
Endorsed by: FSN
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest (1963)

physicist
poet

Mircea Druc
Born:
(age)
Pociumbăuți, Rîșcani District, Republic of Moldova
Prime Minister of the Moldavian SSR (1990–1991)Affiliation: none
Endorsed by: MER
Faculty of History and Philology, Moldova State University, Chișinău (1960)
Faculty of Philology, Saint Petersburg State University (1964)

administrative sciences professor

Ioan Mânzatu
Born:
(age)
Bobâlna, Cluj County
Vice-President of Romania (1990)Affiliation: Republican PartyFaculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai University (unknown year)

physics professor

Withdrawn candidates

NameLifespanPublic Administration ExperienceAffiliation and endorsementsAlma mater and professionCandidacy

Ioan Lup
Born: unknown birthdate
unknown birthplace
Affiliation: PNȚCDunknown education

unknown
Intention: [5]
Withdrawal:
Endorsed Ion Rațiu:
Endorsed Emil Constantinescu:

Nicu Stăncescu
Born: unknown birthdate
unknown birthplace
Affiliation: Party of Democratic Unityunknown education

unknown
Withdrawal:
Endorsed Emil Constantinescu:

Sergiu Cunescu
Born:
(age), Bucharest
Died:, unknown location
Affiliation: PSDRFaculty of Electromagnetics, Politehnica University of Bucharest (unknown year)

combustion engine engineer
Withdrawal:
Endorsed Emil Constantinescu:

Nicolae Manolescu
Born:
(age)
Râmnicu Vâlcea, Vâlcea County
Affiliation: Civic Alliance PartyFaculty of Philology, University of Bucharest (1962)

writer, book critic
Withdrawal:
Endorsed Emil Constantinescu:

Ion Rațiu
Born:
(age), Turda, Cluj County
Died:, London
Chancellor at Romanian Embassy in UK (1940)Affiliation: PNȚCDFaculty of Law, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (1938)
Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge (1943)

lawyer, economist, journalist
Intention:
Withdrawal: [6]
Endorsed Emil Constantinescu:

Results

President

Gheorghe Funar and Ioan Mânzatu openly endorsed Ion Iliescu in the second round.

Parliament

Chamber of Deputies

Notes and References

  1. Book: Nohlen . Dieter . Stöver . Philip . Dieter Nohlen . Elections in Europe: A data handbook . 2010 . Nomos . 978-3-8329-5609-7 . Baden-Baden, Germany . 1591 . 617565273.
  2. News: Romanians Vote but Runoff Is Expected. The New York Times. 28 September 1992.
  3. News: Romanian Vote Inconclusive; Runoff Planned Next Sunday. The New York Times. 6 October 1992.
  4. News: President Favored In Romanian Runoff Today. The New York Times. 11 October 1992.
  5. Web site: Pădurean . Claudiu . 2017-01-18 . Marea greșeală a lui Corneliu Coposu: A împiedicat candidatura lui Ion Rațiu la Președinția României, din partea Convenției . The big mistake of Corneliu Coposu: He obstructed Ion Rațiu's candidacy for the Presidency of Romania, from the Convention . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170119100956/https://romanialibera.ro/aldine/history/marea-greseala-a-lui-corneliu-coposu--a-impiedicat-candidatura-lui-ion-ratiu-la-presedintia-romaniei-din-partea-conventiei-438462 . 2017-01-19 . 2020-08-31 . . ro . dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Pop . Alina . 2015-01-15 . Trădare sau democrație? Secretele refuielilor politice dintre foștii mari lideri țărăniști și bunii prieteni Ion Rațiu și Corneliu Coposu . Treason or democracy? The secrets of the political feuds between the former great peasant leaders and good friends Ion Rațiu and Corneliu Coposu . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150416182430/https://adevarul.ro/locale/zalau/tradare-democratiei-secretele-refuielilor-politice-fostii-mari-lideri-taranisti-bunii-prieteni-ion-ratiu-corneliu-coposu-1_54be86dc448e03c0fdc95139/index.html . 2015-04-16 . 2020-08-31 . . ro . dmy-all.