Liberalism and radicalism in Romania explained
Liberalism and radicalism are important political movements in Romania. Many political parties from these traditions have had important historical roles and substantial support, including representation in the Parliament of Romania. Not all Romanian political parties relevant to this tradition have explicitly described themselves as liberal or radical.
Background
Liberalism has been one of the major political forces in Romania since the Wallachian Revolution of 1848.
The first Romanian National Liberal Party (PNL) was active from 1875 until both its major factions were quashed in 1947 and 1950 by the communist government. The contemporary National Liberal Party (also PNL) was re-founded in 1990 after the Romanian Revolution.[1] The centre-right PNL has had notable factions, splits and mergers, including the re-absorption of breakaway parties. For example, the right-wing and pro-German National Liberal Party–Brătianu reunited with the rest of the party in 1938[2] after splitting off in 1930.[3] More recently, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) split from the PNL and was a junior partner in a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) between 2017 and 2019, before merging again with the PNL in early 2022.
Timeline of parties and movements
Note: The sign ⇒ denotes another party in this scheme.
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 National Assembly
- 1840: Mitică Filipescu 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 Blaj Assemblies 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 (PNL)
- 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 (PNL-B)
- 1929: A breakaway faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL) formed the National Liberal Party–Brătianu (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Naţional Liberal-Brătianu), supporting Gheorghe I. Brătianu as its president;
- 1931: Most of the party returned to the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL);
- 1938: The party reunited with the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL).
National Liberal Party–Tătărescu (PNL-T)
- 1944: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL) formed the National Liberal Party–Tătărescu (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Naţional Liberal-Tătărescu, PNL-T) which was presided initially by former Prime Minister and PNL member Gheorghe Tătărescu (who was also previously a member of the National Renaissance Front, FRN) and then, subsequently, by Petre Bejan towards the end of its political existence;
- 1946: The party ran in that year's Romanian general election with the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the Ploughmen's Front (FP), being part of the People's Democratic Front (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Frontul Democrației Populare, FDP) which at that time ran as the Bloc of Democratic Parties (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Blocul Partidelor Democratice, BPD). The election was fraudulently won by the Communists. The party was briefly part of the Communist-dominated governmental coalition led by Petru Groza between 1946 until 1947;
- 1948: The party decided to ran separately in that year's Romanian legislative election, in opposition towards the Bloc of Democratic Parties (BPD). It entered the unicameral Parliament (or, as it was now back then, the Great National Assembly) with a very feeble number of elected representatives, more specifically 7. For that year's legislative election, the party leadership switched from Tătărescu to Bejan and remained as such during the upcoming years;
- 1950: The party ceased its political activity, being banned (or dissolved) by the Romanian Communist Party (PCR).
From National Liberal Party Youth Wing (PNL-AT) to Liberal Party 1993 (PL '93)
- 1990: A youth faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL) formed the National Liberal Party Youth Wing (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Naţional Liberal-Aripa Tînără, PNL-AT) in opposition to then leadership of the party which was presided by Radu Câmpeanu;
- 1992: The party was renamed Liberal Party (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Liberal) and was led by Horia Rusu;
- 1993: The Liberal Party merged with the ⇒ National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention (PNL-CD) and the Group for Moral and Political Reforms into the Liberal Party 1993 (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Liberal 1993, PL '93), joined by a faction of the ⇒ Civic Alliance Party (PAC);
- 1995: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL).
Civic Alliance Party (PAC)
- 1991: A section of the Civic Alliance (PAC) non-governmental organization established the Civic Alliance Party (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Alianţa Civică), led by Nicolae Manolescu;
- 1993: A faction joined the ⇒ Liberal Party 1993;
- 1998: The party merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL).
National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention (PNL-CD)
National Liberal Party-Câmpeanu (PNL-C)
Alliance for Romania (ApR)
Democratic Liberal Party (PDL)
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE)
- 2014: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL) formed the Liberal Reformist Party (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Partidul Liberal Reformator, PLR);
- 2015: The Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) merged into the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Alianța Liberalilor și Democraților, ALDE);
- 2022: The party merged into ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL).
Force of the Right (FD)
Presidents of the National Liberal Party (1875–present)
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Book: Stejărel Olaru . The Communist Regime and its Legacy in Romania . Olaru . Stejărel . Herbstritt . Georg . Vademekum Contemporary History Romania: A Guide Through Archives, Research Institutions, Libraries, Societies, Museums and Memorial Places . 2004 . Inst. Român de Istorie Recentă . 18 June 2024 . en.
- Ilie . Mihaela . 10th/ 11th of February 1938 in Interwar Romanian Politics: an Almighty King and a Political Class on its Knees . Revista de Științe Politice. Revue des Sciences Politiques . 2018 . 59 . 128–138 . 18 June 2024 . English . 1584-224X.
- Otu . Petre . Gheorghe I. Brătianu and the Black Sea Straits Question (1933-1944) . Romanian Military Thinking . 2024 . 1 . 18 June 2024.
