The Parliament of Romania (Romanian: Parlamentul României) is the national bicameral legislature of Romania, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies (Romanian: Camera Deputaților) and the Senate (Romanian: Senat). It meets at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, the capital of the country.
Prior to the modification of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses. If the text differed, a special commission (Romanian: comisie de mediere) was formed by deputies and senators, that "negotiated" between the two houses the form of the future law. The report of this commission had to be approved in a joint session of the Parliament.
After the 2003 referendum, a law still has to be approved by both houses, but each house has designated matters it gets to deliberate before the other, in capacity of "deciding chamber" (Romanian: cameră decizională). If that first chamber adopts a law proposal (relating to its competences), it is passed on to the other one, which can approve or reject. If it makes amendments, the bill is sent back to the deciding chamber, the decision of which is final.
In 2009, a referendum was held to consult the population about turning the parliament into a unicameral body and reducing the number of representatives to 300. Although the referendum passed, the results are not binding, a referendum explicitly mentioning the modification of the constitution being required to achieve this.[1]
History
[edit]The parliamentary history of Romania starts in May 1831 in Wallachia, where a constitutional document was adopted, more specifically Regulamentul Organic ("The Organic Statute" or "The Organic Regulation"); less than a year later, in January 1832, this same statute was implemented in Moldavia as well. The organic regulation laid the foundations for the parliamentary institution in the Romanian Principalities.
The Paris Convention of 19 August 1858 and, especially, Statutul Dezvoltător ("The Expanding Statute") of that convention (which introduced a bicameral parliament, by founding Corpul Ponderator, later renamed Senat), adopted on the initiative of prince (Domnitor) Alexandru Ioan Cuza, by means of a plebiscite (i.e. referendum) in 1864, perfected and enlarged the principle of national representation. Under the political regime established by the Paris Convention, the legislative power faced an obvious process of modernization, and the legislative power as National Representation, which operated in accordance with the organization and operation mode of parliaments in Western Europe at that time.[2]
The historical process of formation of the Parliament of Romania in the modern age strongly boosted the affirmation of national sovereignty, subsequently leading to the Union of the two Romanian Principalities (i.e. Wallachia and Moldavia) in 1859. Under the dome of the Romanian Parliament, on 9 May 1877, the Declaration of Independence of Romania was read, and, in 1920, the documents of union with Transylvania and Bessarabia under the Treaty of Trianon (4 June 1920) were read, the formal beginning of Greater Romania, the enlarged interwar Kingdom of Romania (which also included the entire historical region of Bukovina as per the Treaty of Saint-German-en-Laye from 1919).
In February 1938, amid the rather chaotic European political atmosphere which eventually led to World War II, King Carol II, who always tended to favour his own personal rule over parliamentary democracy, imposed a rule of authoritarian monarchy. Under the royal dictatorship, the parliament became merely a decorative body, deprived of its main attributes.
Carol II abdicated in September 1940, and the succeeding National Legionary State suspended the parliament. The National Legionary State as such lasted less than five months, but it was succeeded by Ion Antonescu's military dictatorship, and the parliament still remained suspended. After 23 August 1944, under the pressure of Soviet and other communist forces, the parliament was re-organized as a single legislative body, the Assembly of Deputies, changed under the 1948 constitution, into the Great National Assembly, a merely formal body, totally subordinate to the power of the Romanian Communist Party (PCR).
The Romanian Revolution of December 1989 opened the road for Romanians to restore authentic pluralistic representative democracy, respecting human rights, and observing the separation of powers and the rulers' responsibility before representative bodies. Thanks to the documents issued by the provisional revolutionary power, Romania returned to a bicameral parliamentary system, represented politically as such both by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. All these stipulations can be found in the country's new Constitution, approved by referendum in 1991.
During more than a decade of post-communist transition, the Chamber of Deputies and Senate debated and adopted numerous laws and regulations aimed at reforming the entire society on a democratic basis, guaranteeing respect of fundamental human rights, promoting reform and privatization, consolidating free market economic institutions and those of a state ruled by law, which led to Romania's integration into such notable international institutions as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004 and the European Union (EU) three years later in 2007.
List of presidents of the Houses
[edit]Last election of the President of the Chamber of Deputies: November 2021
The 1866, 1923, and 1938 Constitution of Romania state that the assembly presidents are elected at the beginning of each session. This tradition was kept in the early years of the People's Republic. In modern times, both presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate are elected for the entire duration of that house's term. Under special circumstances the presidents of the houses can be revoked.
The political stance of the presidents of the assembly prior to the development of a modern party system is shown by:
C (Conservative) | MC (Moderate Conservative) |
RL (Radical Liberal) | ML (Moderate Liberal) |
The political stance of the presidents of the assembly after the development of a modern party system is shown by:
PNL = National Liberal Party (present-day)/historical | PC = Conservative Party |
PNR/PȚB/PNȚ/PNȚ-CD = Romanian National Party/Bessarabian Peasants' Party/National Peasants' Party/Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party | PP = People's Party |
PCD = Conservative-Democratic Party | PCP = Progressive Conservative Party |
PND = Democratic Nationalist Party | PNC = National Christian Party |
FRN = National Renaissance Front (from 1940 PN; Party of the Nation) |
FP = Ploughmen's Front |
FSN = National Salvation Front | |
PMR = Romanian Workers' Party (from 1965 PCR; Romanian Communist Party) |
PD/PDL = Democratic Party/Democratic Liberal Party |
PDSR = Party of Social Democracy in Romania (from 2001 PSD; Social Democratic Party) |
ALDE = Alliance of Liberals and Democrats |
USR = USR PLUS/Save Romania Union |
Mil. = Military |
Ind. = Independent |
19th century
[edit]El. yr. |
Leg. no. |
LOWER HOUSE | UPPER HOUSE | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Name | Portrait | Born-Died | Took office | Left office | Party | # | Name | Portrait | Born-Died | Took office | Left office | Party | ||
1862 | I | Assembly of Deputies | not yet established | ||||||||||||
1 | Metropolitan-primate Nifon Rusailă | ![]() |
24 January 1862 | 2 May 1864 | Ind. | ||||||||||
1864 | II | 2 | Alexandru Emanoil Florescu | ![]() |
1822–1907 | 29 December 1864 | 25 June 1865 | C | Corpul Ponderator | ||||||
1 | Metropolitan-primate Nifon Rusailă | ![]() |
6 December 1864 | 1 June 1866 | Ind. | ||||||||||
3 | Emanoil Costache Epureanu | ![]() |
1823–1880 | 12 December 1865 | 3 January 1866 | C | |||||||||
4 | Nicolae Catargiu | ![]() |
1830–1882 | 9 January 1866 | 12 February 1866 | C | |||||||||
1866 (Apr) |
III | (3) | Emanoil Costache Epureanu | ![]() |
1823–1880 | 9 May 1866 | 6 July 1866 | C | Senat | ||||||
(1) | Metropolitan-primate Nifon Rusailă | ![]() |
1 June 1866 | 6 June 1868 | Ind. | ||||||||||
1866 (Nov) |
IV | 5 | Lascăr Catargiu | ![]() |
1823–1899 | 12 December 1866 | 1 November 1867 | C | |||||||
6 | Anastasie Fătu | ![]() |
1816–1886 | 15 January 1868 | 15 November 1868 | RL | 2 | Ștefan Golescu | ![]() |
1809–1874 | 6 September 1868 | 15 November 1868 | RL | ||
7 | Ion C. Brătianu | ![]() |
1821–1891 | 18 November 1868 | 29 January 1869 | RL | 3 | Nicolae Golescu | ![]() |
1810–1877 | 18 November 1868 | 9 July 1869 | RL | ||
1869 | V | 8 | Costache Negri | ![]() |
1812–1876 | 8 May 1869 | 17 November 1869 | ML | 4 | Alexandru Plagino | ![]() |
1821–1894 | 2 September 1869 | 4 March 1871 | MC |
9 | Grigore Balș | ![]() |
–1895 | 20 November 1869 | 1 May 1870 | MC | |||||||||
1870 | VI | 10 | Gheorghe Costa-Foru | ![]() |
1820–1876 | 2 July 1870 | 3 February 1871 | C | |||||||
11 | Nicolae Păcleanu | ![]() |
5 February 1871 | 16 March 1871 | RL | ||||||||||
1871 | VII | 12 | Dimitrie Ghica | ![]() |
1816–1897 | 26 May 1871 | 17 February 1876 | C | (1) | Metropolitan-primate Nifon Rusailă | ![]() |
4 March 1871 | 5 May 1875 | Ind. | |
1875 | VIII | 5 | Metropolitan-primate Calinic Miclescu | ![]() |
9 June 1875 | 25 March 1879 | Ind. | ||||||||
13 | Constantin N. Brăiloiu | ![]() |
1809/10–1889 | 18 February 1876 | 3 May 1876 | C | |||||||||
1876 | IX | 14 | Constantin A. Rosetti | ![]() |
1816–1885 | 25 June 1876 | 26 May 1878 | PNL | |||||||
15 | Gheorghe Vernescu | ![]() |
1829–1900 | 6 June 1878 | 15 November 1878 | PNL | |||||||||
(14) | Constantin A. Rosetti | ![]() |
1816–1885 | 17 November 1878 | 9 June 1881 | PNL | |||||||||
1879 | X | 6 | Constantin Bosianu | ![]() |
1815–1882 | 25 May 1879 | 15 November 1879 | PNL | |||||||
7 | Dimitrie Ghica | ![]() |
1816–1897 | 17 November 1879 | 8 September 1888 | PNL | |||||||||
1881 | XI | 16 | Dimitrie C. Brătianu | ![]() |
1818–1892 | 9 June 1881 | 21 October 1882 | PNL | |||||||
17 | Dimitrie Lecca | ![]() |
1832–1888 | 21 October 1882 | 5 March 1883 | PNL | |||||||||
1883 | XII | (14) | Constantin A. Rosetti | ![]() |
1816–1885 | 16 May 1883 | 17 October 1883 | PNL | |||||||
(17) | Dimitrie Lecca | ![]() |
1832–1888 | 19 October 1883 | 4 July 1888 | PNL | |||||||||
1884 | XIII | ||||||||||||||
1888 | XIV | (5) | Lascăr Catargiu | ![]() |
1823–1899 | 10 November 1888 | 14 January 1889 | PC | 8 | Ion Emanoil Florescu | ![]() |
1819–1893 | 4 November 1888 | 7 December 1889 | PC |
18 | Constantin Grădișteanu | ![]() |
1833–1890 | 19 January 1889 | 16 November 1889 | PC | 9 | Nicolae Crețulescu | ![]() |
1812–1900 | 13 December 1889 | 6 June 1890 | PC | ||
19 | Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino | ![]() |
1833–1913 | 16 November 1889 | 22 February 1891 | PC | (8) | Ion Emanoil Florescu | ![]() |
1819–1893 | 17 November 1890 | 21 February 1891 | PC | ||
1891 | XV | 20 | Gheorghe Rosnovanu | ![]() |
1832–1904 | 3 May 1891 | 11 December 1891 | PC | 10 | Constantin Boerescu | ![]() |
1845–1928 | 1 March 1891 | 11 December 1891 | PC |
1892 | XVI | 21 | Gheorghe Manu | ![]() |
1833–1911 | 26 February 1892 | 24 October 1895 | PC | 11 | Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino | ![]() |
1833–1913 | 25 February 1892 | 24 October 1895 | PC |
1895 | XVII | 22 | Petre S. Aurelian | ![]() |
1833–1909 | 9 December 1895 | 21 November 1896 | PNL | (7) | Dimitrie Ghica | ![]() |
1816–1897 | 9 December 1895 | 15 February 1897 | PNL |
12 | Dimitrie Alexandru Sturdza | ![]() |
1833–1914 | 20 February 1897 | 31 March 1897 | PNL | |||||||||
23 | Dimitrie Gianni | ![]() |
1832–1902 | 23 November 1896 | 21 April 1899 | PNL | 13 | Eugeniu Stătescu | ![]() |
1836–1905 | 31 March 1897 | 18 November 1897 | PNL | ||
14 | Nicolae Gane | ![]() |
1838–1916 | 18 November 1897 | 21 April 1899 | PNL | |||||||||
1899 | XVIII | 24 | Constantin Olănescu | ![]() |
1845–1928 | 13 June 1899 | 21 September 1900 | PC | (10) | Constantin Boerescu | ![]() |
1836–1908 | 13 June 1899 | 14 February 1901 | PC |
(19) | Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino | ![]() |
1833–1913 | 25 September 1900 | 14 February 1901 | PC |
20th century
[edit]El. yr. |
Leg. no. |
LOWER HOUSE | UPPER HOUSE | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Name | Portrait | Born-Died | Took office | Left office | Party | # | Name | Portrait | Born-Died | Took office | Left office | Party | ||
1901 | XIX | Assembly of Deputies | Senate | ||||||||||||
25 | Mihail Pherekyde | 1842–1926 | 24 March 1901 | 9 December 1904 | PNL | (13) | Eugeniu Stătescu | ![]() |
1836–1905 | 24 March 1901 | 15 November 1902 | PNL | |||
26 | Ștefan Șendrea | ![]() |
1842–1907 | 9 December 1904 | 23 December 1904 | PNL | 15 | Petre S. Aurelian | ![]() |
1833–1909 | 16 November 1902 | 23 December 1904 | PNL | ||
1905 | XX | 27 | Grigore Trandafil | ![]() |
1840–1907 | 25 February 1905 | 23 February 1907 | PC | (10) | Constantin Boerescu | ![]() |
1836–1908 | 25 February 1905 | 26 April 1907 | PC |
28 | Constantin Cantacuzino-Pașcanu | ![]() |
1856–1927 | 26 February 1907 | 26 April 1907 | PC | |||||||||
1907 | XXI | (25) | Mihail Pherekyde | 1842–1926 | 8 June 1907 | 15 December 1909 | PNL | (15) | Petre S. Aurelian | ![]() |
1833–1909 | 9 June 1907 | 24 January 1909 | PNL | |
29 | Basile M. Missir | ![]() |
1843–1929 | 15 December 1909 | 16 February 1910 | PNL | |||||||||
(25) | Mihail Pherekyde | 1842–1926 | 16 February 1910 | 10 January 1911 | PNL | 16 | Constantin Budișteanu | ![]() |
1838–1911 | 28 January 1909 | 10 January 1911 | PNL | |||
1911 | XXII | (24) | Constantin Olănescu | ![]() |
1845–1928 | 8 March 1911 | 17 October 1912 | PC | (11) | Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino | ![]() |
1833–1913 | 10 March 1911 | 23 March 1913 | PC |
1912 | XXIII | (28) | Constantin Cantacuzino-Pașcanu | ![]() |
1856–1927 | 1 December 1912 | 11 January 1914 | PCD | |||||||
17 | Theodor Rosetti | ![]() |
1837–1932 | 27 March 1913 | 3 July 1913 | PC | |||||||||
18 | Ion Lahovari | ![]() |
1844–1915 | 3 July 1913 | 11 January 1914 | PC | |||||||||
1914 | XXIV | (25) | Mihail Pherekyde | 1842–1926 | 21 February 1914 | 11 December 1916 | PNL | 19 | Basile M. Missir | ![]() |
1843–1929 | 21 February 1914 | 9 December 1916 | PNL | |
30 | Vasile C. Morțun | 1860–1919 | 11 December 1916 | 25 April 1918 | PNL | 20 | Emanoil Porumbaru | ![]() |
1845–1921 | 9 December 1916 | 25 April 1918 | PNL | |||
1918 | XXV | 31 | Constantin Meissner | ![]() |
1854–1942 | 5 June 1918 | 5 November 1918 | PCP | 21 | Dimitrie I. Dobrescu | ![]() |
1869–1948 | 4 June 1918 | 5 November 1918 | PCP |
1919 | XXVI | 32 | Alexandru Vaida-Voevod | ![]() |
1872–1950 | 28 November 1919 | 1 December 1919 | PNR | 22 | Paul Bujor | ![]() |
1862–1952 | 28 December 1918 | 26 March 1920 | PȚB |
33 | Nicolae Iorga | ![]() |
1871–1940 | 9 December 1919 | 26 March 1920 | PND | |||||||||
1920 | XXVII | 34 | Duiliu Zamfirescu | ![]() |
1858–1922 | 30 June 1920 | 22 January 1922 | PP | 23 | Constantin Coandă | ![]() |
1857–1932 | 22 June 1920 | 22 January 1922 | PP |
1922 | XXVIII | 35 | Mihail Orleanu | 1859–1942 | 6 April 1922 | 27 March 1926 | PNL | 24 | Mihail Pherekyde | 1842–1926 | 31 March 1922 | 24 January 1926 | PNL | ||
25 | Constantin I. Nicolaescu | ![]() |
1861–1945 | 3 February 1926 | 27 March 1926 | PNL | |||||||||
1926 | XXIX | 36 | Petre P. Negulescu | ![]() |
1870–1951 | 10 July 1926 | 5 June 1927 | PP | (23) | Constantin Coandă | ![]() |
1857–1932 | 8 July 1926 | 5 June 1927 | PP |
1927 | XXX | 37 | Nicolae Săveanu | ![]() |
1866–1952 | 30 July 1927 | 10 November 1928 | PNL | 26 | Constantin I. Nicolaescu | ![]() |
1861–1945 | 18 June 1927 | 10 November 1928 | PNL |
1928 | XXXI | 38 | Ștefan Cicio Pop | ![]() |
1865–1934 | 23 December 1928 | 30 April 1931 | PNȚ | 27 | Traian Bratu | ![]() |
1875–1940 | 23 December 1928 | 30 April 1931 | PNȚ |
1931 | XXXII | 39 | Dimitrie Pompeiu | ![]() |
1873–1954 | 20 June 1931 | 10 June 1932 | PND | 28 | Mihail Sadoveanu | ![]() |
1880–1961 | 18 June 1931 | 10 June 1932 | Ind. |
1932 | XXXIII | (38) | Ștefan Cicio Pop | ![]() |
1865–1934 | 10 August 1932 | 18 November 1933 | PNȚ | 29 | Neculai Costăchescu | ![]() |
1876–1939 | 4 August 1932 | 18 November 1933 | PNȚ |
1933 | XXXIV | (37) | Nicolae Săveanu | ![]() |
1866–1952 | 10 February 1934 | 19 November 1937 | PNL | 31 | Leonte Moldovan | ![]() |
1865–1943 | 10 February 1934 | 15 November 1935 | PNL |
1934 | XXXV | ||||||||||||||
32 | Constantin Dimitriu-Dovlecel | ![]() |
1872–1945 | 15 November 1935 | 15 November 1936 | PNL | |||||||||
33 | Alexandru Lapedatu | ![]() |
16 November 1936 | 20 March 1937 | PNL | ||||||||||
1937 | XXXVI | ||||||||||||||
1939 | XXXVII | (32) | Alexandru Vaida-Voevod | ![]() |
1872–1950 | 9 June 1939 | 5 September 1940 | FRN/PN | 34 | Nicolae Iorga | ![]() |
1871–1940 | 9 June 1939 | 13 June 1939 | Ind. |
35 | Constantin Argetoianu | ![]() |
1871–1955 | 15 June 1939 | 5 August 1940 | FNR/PN | |||||||||
1946 | XXXVIII | 40 | Mihail Sadoveanu | ![]() |
1880–1961 | 5 December 1946 | 24 February 1948 | BPD | suspended | ||||||
1948 | XXXIX | Great National Assembly | abolished | ||||||||||||
41 | Gheorghe Apostol | ![]() |
1913–2010 | 7 April 1948 | 11 June 1948 | PMR | |||||||||
42 | Constantin Agiu | ![]() |
1891–1961 | 11 June 1948 | 27 December 1948 | PMR | |||||||||
43 | Constantin Pîrvulescu | ![]() |
1895–1992 | 27 December 1948 | 5 July 1949 | PMR | |||||||||
44 | Dumitru Petrescu | ![]() |
5 July 1949 | 28 December 1949 | PMR | ||||||||||
45 | Alexandru Drăghici | ![]() |
28 December 1949 | 26 January 1950 | PMR | ||||||||||
(44) | Dumitru Petrescu | ![]() |
26 January 1950 | 29 May 1950 | PMR | ||||||||||
46 | Constantin Doncea | ![]() |
1904–1973 | 29 May 1950 | 6 September 1950 | PMR | |||||||||
(41) | Gheorghe Apostol | ![]() |
1913–2010 | 6 September 1950 | 5 April 1951 | PMR | |||||||||
47 | Ioan Vințe | ![]() |
1910–1996 | 5 April 1951 | 26 March 1952 | PMR | |||||||||
(41) | Gheorghe Apostol | ![]() |
1913–2010 | 26 March 1952 | 6 June 1952 | PMR | |||||||||
48 | Gheorghe Stoica | ![]() |
2 June 1952 | 30 November 1952 | PMR | ||||||||||
1952 | XL | (43) | Constantin Pîrvulescu | ![]() |
1895–1992 | 23 January 1953 | 5 March 1961 | PMR | |||||||
1957 | XLI | ||||||||||||||
1961 | XLII | ||||||||||||||
49 | Ștefan Voitec | ![]() |
1900–1984 | 20 March 1961 | 28 March 1974 | PMR/PCR | |||||||||
1965 | XLIII | ||||||||||||||
1969 | XLIV | ||||||||||||||
50 | Miron Constantinescu | ![]() |
1917–1974 | 28 March 1974 | 18 July 1974 | PCR | |||||||||
51 | Nicolae Giosan | ![]() |
1921–1990 | 26 July 1974 | 12 December 1989 | PCR | |||||||||
1975 | XLV | ||||||||||||||
1980 | XLVI | ||||||||||||||
1985 | XLVII | ||||||||||||||
1990 | XLVIII | Assembly of Deputies[h] | Senate | ||||||||||||
52 | Marțian Dan | ![]() |
1935–2002[3] | 19 June 1990 | 16 October 1992 | FSN | 35 | Alexandru Bârlădeanu | ![]() |
1911–1997 | 18 June 1990 | 16 October 1992 | FSN | ||
1992 | XLIX | Chamber of Deputies | 36 | Oliviu Gherman | ![]() |
1930–2020 | 22 October 1992 | 22 November 1996 | FDSN/PDSR | ||||||
53 | Adrian Năstase | ![]() |
1950– | 28 October 1992 | 22 November 1996 | FDSN/PDSR | |||||||||
1996 | L | 54 | Ion Diaconescu | ![]() |
1917–2011 | 27 November 1996 | 30 November 2000 | PNȚCD | 37 | Petre Roman | ![]() |
1946– | 27 November 1996 | 22 December 1999 | PD |
38 | Mircea Ionescu-Quintus | 1917–2017 | 4 February 2000 | 30 November 2000 | PNL | ||||||||||
2000 | LI | 55 | Valer Dorneanu | ![]() |
1944– | 15 December 2000 | 30 November 2004 | PDSR/PSD | 39 | Nicolae Văcăroiu | ![]() |
1943– | 15 December 2000 | 14 October 2008 | PDSR/PSD |
21st century
[edit]El. yr. |
Leg. no. |
LOWER HOUSE | UPPER HOUSE | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Name | Portrait | Born-Died | Took office | Left office | Party | # | Name | Portrait | Born-Died | Took office | Left office | Party | ||
2004 | LII | Chamber of Deputies | Senate | ||||||||||||
(53) | Adrian Năstase | ![]() |
1950– | 19 December 2004 | 16 March 2006 | PSD | 39 | Nicolae Văcăroiu | ![]() |
1943– | 15 December 2000 | 14 October 2008 | PDSR/PSD | ||
56 | Bogdan Olteanu | ![]() |
1971– | 20 March 2006 | 13 December 2008 | PNL | |||||||||
— | Doru Ioan Tărăcilă (acting) |
![]() |
1951– | 14 October 2008 | 28 October 2008 | PSD | |||||||||
40 | Ilie Sârbu | ![]() |
1950– | 28 October 2008 | 13 December 2009 | PSD | |||||||||
2008 | LIII | 57 | Roberta Anastase | ![]() |
1976– | 19 December 2008 | 3 July 2012 | PDL | 41 | Mircea Geoană | ![]() |
1958– | 19 December 2009 | 23 November 2011 | PSD |
— | Petru Filip (acting) |
![]() |
1955– | 23 November 2011 | 28 November 2011 | PDL | |||||||||
43 | Vasile Blaga | ![]() |
1956– | 28 November 2011 | 3 July 2012 | PDL | |||||||||
58 | Valeriu Zgonea | ![]() |
1967– | 3 July 2012 | 20 December 2012 | PSD | 44 | Crin Antonescu | ![]() |
1959– | 3 July 2012 | 20 December 2012 | PNL | ||
2012 | LIV | 20 December 2012 | 13 June 2016 | 19 December 2012 | 4 March 2014 | ||||||||||
— | Cristian Dumitrescu (acting) |
![]() |
1955– | 5 March 2014 | 10 March 2014 | PSD | |||||||||
45 | Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu | ![]() |
1952– | 10 March 2014 | 21 December 2016 | Ind./PLR/ALDE | |||||||||
— | Florin Iordache (acting) |
![]() |
1960– | 13 June 2016 | September 2016 | PSD | |||||||||
59 | Florin Iordache | September 2016 | 21 December 2016 | ||||||||||||
2016 | LV | 60 | Liviu Dragnea | ![]() |
1962– | 21 December 2016 | 27 May 2019 | PSD | 21 December 2016 | 2 September 2019 | ALDE | ||||
61 | Marcel Ciolacu | ![]() |
1967– | 29 May 2019 | 21 December 2020 | PSD | |||||||||
— | Șerban Valeca (acting) |
1956–2022 | 2 September 2019 | 10 September 2019 | PSD | ||||||||||
46 | Teodor Meleșcanu | ![]() |
1941– | 10 September 2019 | 3 February 2020 | Ind. with PSD support | |||||||||
— | Titus Corlățean (acting) |
![]() |
1968– | 3 February 2020 | 9 April 2020 | PSD | |||||||||
— | Robert Cazanciuc (acting) |
1971– | 9 April 2020 | 21 December 2020 | PSD | ||||||||||
2020 | LVI | 62 | Ludovic Orban | ![]() |
1963– | 22 December 2020 | 13 October 2021 | PNL | 47 | Anca Dragu | ![]() |
1972– | 21 December 2020 | 23 November 2021 | USR PLUS[i]/USR |
— | Florin Roman (acting) |
1974– | 18 October 2021 | 2 November 2021 | PNL | ||||||||||
– | Sorin Grindeanu (acting) |
![]() |
1973– | 2 November 2021 | 23 November 2021 | PSD | |||||||||
(61) | Marcel Ciolacu | ![]() |
1967– | 23 November 2021 | 15 June 2023 | PSD | 48 | Florin Cîțu | ![]() |
1972– | 23 November 2021 | 29 June 2022 | PNL | ||
— | Alina Gorghiu (acting) |
![]() |
1978– | 29 June 2022 | 13 June 2023 | PNL | |||||||||
— | Alfred Simonis (acting) |
![]() |
1985– | 25 June 2023 | Incumbent | PSD | 49 | Nicolae Ciucă | ![]() |
1967– | 13 June 2023 | Incumbent | PNL |
Functioning
[edit]Prior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses. If the text differed, a special commission (comisie de mediere) was formed by deputies and senators, that "negotiated" between the two houses the form of the future law. The report of this commission had to be approved in a joint session of the Parliament. This French procedure proved to be extremely long and inefficient with respect to the expectations of the Romanians towards democracy.
After the 2003 referendum, a law still has to be approved by both houses, but in some matters one is "superior" to the other, being called "decision chamber" ("cameră decizională"). This eliminates the process of "negotiation" between the two houses, and keeps the Senate as the upper house and the Chamber as the lower house.
Committees
[edit]Committees of the Chamber of Deputies (15):
– The committee for legal affairs, appointments, discipline, immunities and validations;
– Committee on Budget, finance, banking and capital market;
– The commission for economy, industry and services;
– Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development;
– The Committee on Foreign Affairs;
– Committee on public administration, the territory and environmental protection;
– The commission for defense, public order and national security;
– Commission for work, family and social protection;
– Committee for Education, Science, Youth and Sports;
– Committee on Public Health;
– Committee for culture, art and media information in the table;
– Commission on Human Rights, religious and minority;
– The Committee on Equal Opportunities;
– Commission for privatization and management of state assets;
– Committee on research abuses, corruption and petitions.
Committees of the Senate (14):
– Committee for Economic Policy, Reform, and Privatization;
– Committee for Budget, Finance, and, Banks, Committee for Industries and Services, Committee for Agriculture, Forestry, Food Industry and Specific Services;
– Committee for Human Rights, Cults and National Minorities Issues;
– Committee for Public Administration Territorial Planning and Ecological Balance;
– Committee for Labour and Social Protection, Committee for Health and Family;
– Committee for Education, Science, Youth, and Sport;
– Committee for Culture, Arts, Mass Information Means;
– Committee for Legal Matters, Discipline, and Immunities;
– Committee for Defense Public Order, and National Security;
– Committee for Foreign Policy;
– Committee for the Investigation of Abuses, Corrupt Practices, and for Petitions;
– Committee for Standing Orders;
– Committee for information technologies and communications;
– Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men.
Joint committees :
Standing committees:
– The Committee on European Affairs;
– The former Committee for European Integration;
– The Joint Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the exercise of parliamentary control over the activity of the Romanian Intelligent Service;
– The Joint Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the exercise of parliamentary control over the activity of the Foreign Intelligent Service;
– The Parliamentary Committee for the control of the implementation of the Law no.42/1990 for honoring the martyr heroes and granting rights to their successors, to the persons wounded in, and to the fighters for the victory of the Revolution of December 1990;
– The Joint Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the statute of the Senator and Deputy, and organizing and functioning of the joint sessions of the Chambers;
– The Joint Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the relation with UNESCO.
Special committees:
– The Joint Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the elaboration of the legislative proposal regarding the election of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, of the President of Romania, of the authorities of the public local administration, financing of the elections campaign, and the election of the members of the European Parliament;
– The Joint Special Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for the control of the budget execution of the Court of Accounts during the year 2003;
– The Joint Special Standing Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate for establishing the antenna times for the election of the Romanian Members of the European Parliament;
– The Joint Special Standing Committee of Parliament for the antenna times for the national referendum regarding the introduction of the uninominal election of the members of the Parliament of Romania.
Inquiry committees:
– The parliamentary inquiry committee for investigations and clarifying the status of the bank accounts of Nicolae Ceaușescu;
– The parliamentary inquiry committee for investigations and clarifying the activity of ICE Dunărea;
– The parliamentary inquiry committee for investigations regarding interception of communications;
– The parliamentary inquiry committee of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate regarding the Bordei Park;
– The parliamentary inquiry committee for investigations and clarifying the spending way of the money obtained as a 2% quota from the privatization value, destined to the building of social housing, as established by the article 44, 2nd paragraph of the Law 10/2001 regarding the judiciary regime of the buildings abusively acquired by the state in the period 6 March 1945 – 22 December 1989, republished.
Composition
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2020–2024
[edit]Party | Election seating | Lost | Won | Present seating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | % | Seats | % | ||||
Social Democratic Party | 47 | 34.55% | 2 | 1 | 46 | 33.82% | |
National Liberal Party | 41 | 30.14% | 4 | 0 | 37 | 27.20% | |
Save Romania Union | 25 | 18.38% | 3 | 0 | 22 | 16.17% | |
Alliance for the Union of Romanians | 14 | 10.29% | 2 | 0 | 12 | 8.82% | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 9 | 6.61% | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6.61% | |
Force of the Right | — | — | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2.20% | |
Social Liberal Humanist Party | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.73% | |
Romanian Nationhood Party | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.73% | |
Independents | — | — | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3.67% | |
Total | 136 | 100 | — | 136 | 100 |
Party | Election seating | Lost | Won | Present seating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | % | Seats | % | ||||
Social Democratic Party | 110 | 33.33% | 7 | 1 | 104 | 31.51% | |
National Liberal Party | 93 | 28.18% | 16 | 3 | 80 | 24.24% | |
Save Romania Union[j] | 55 | 16.66% | 11 | 0 | 44 | 13.33% | |
Alliance for the Union of Romanians | 33 | 10.00% | 10 | 1 | 24 | 7.27% | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 21 | 6.36% | 1 | 0 | 20 | 6.06% | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 18 | 5.45% | 1 | 1 | 18 | 5.45% | |
Force of the Right | — | — | 1 | 17 | 16 | 4.84% | |
Renewing Romania's European Project | — | — | 0 | 10 | 10 | 3.03% | |
Social Liberal Humanist Party | — | — | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1.21% | |
Romanian Nationhood Party | — | — | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1.21% | |
The Right Alternative | — | — | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.90% | |
Alliance for the Homeland | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.30% | |
Association of Italians of Romania | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.30% | |
Independents | — | — | 13 | 14 | 1 | 0.30% | |
Total | 330 | 100 | — | 330 | 100 |
2016–2020
[edit]Party | Election seating | Lost | Won | End seating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | % | Seats | % | ||||
Social Democratic Party | 67 | 49.26% | 10 | 2 | 59 | 43.38% | |
National Liberal Party | 30 | 22.05% | 4 | 0 | 26 | 19.11% | |
Save Romania Union | 13 | 9.55% | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9.55% | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 9 | 6.61% | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6.61% | |
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats | 9 | 6.61% | 5 | 3 | 7 | 5.14% | |
People's Movement Party | 8 | 5.88% | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3.67% | |
Humanist Power Party | — | — | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.47% | |
Independents | — | — | 0 | 15 | 15 | 11.02% | |
Total | 136 | 100 | — | 136 | 100 |
Party | Election seating | Lost | Won | End seating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | % | Seats | % | ||||
Social Democratic Party | 154 | 46.8% | 65 | 28 | 117 | 35.56% | |
National Liberal Party | 69 | 20.97% | 6 | 3 | 66 | 20.06% | |
Save Romania Union | 30 | 9.11% | 11 | 6 | 25 | 7.59% | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 21 | 6.38% | 1 | 0 | 20 | 6.07% | |
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats | 20 | 6.07% | 10 | 4 | 14 | 4.26% | |
People's Movement Party | 18 | 5.47% | 9 | 6 | 15 | 4.55% | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 17 | 5.17% | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5.17% | |
PRO Romania | — | — | 0 | 21 | 21 | 6.38% | |
Humanist Power Party | — | — | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2.12% | |
Independents | — | — | 11 | 38 | 27 | 10.94% | |
Total | 329 | 100 | — | 329 | 100 |
2012–2016
[edit]2008–2012
[edit]Party | Election seating | Lost | Won | Present seating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | % | Seats | % | ||||
Democratic Liberal Party | 51 | 37.22% | 19 | 2 | 35 | 25.54% | |
Social Democratic Party | 49 | 35.76% | 15 | 3 | 40 | 29.19% | |
National Liberal Party | 28 | 20.43% | 16 | 4 | 27 | 19.70% | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 9 | 6.57% | 2 | 0 | 7 | 5.10% | |
National Union for the Progress of Romania | — | — | 4 | 12 | 12 | 8.75% | |
Independents | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1.45% | ||
Vacant seats | 14 | — | |||||
Total | 137 | 100 | — | 137 | 100 |
Parliamentary Group | Election seating | Lost | Won | Present | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seats | % | Seats | % | ||||
Democratic Liberal Party | 115 | 34.43% | 29 | 12 | 106 | 31.73% | |
Social Democratic Party | 114 | 34.13% | 29 | 2 | 91 | 27.24% | |
National Liberal Party | 65 | 19.46% | 21 | 6 | 56 | 16.76% | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 22 | 6.58% | 2 | 0 | 20 | 5.98% | |
Ethnic minorities parties | 18 | 5.39% | 2 | 0 | 16 | 4.79% | |
National Union for the Progress of Romania | — | — | 16 | 16 | 12 | 3.59% | |
Independents | 8 | 2.39% | |||||
Vacant seats | 25 | — | |||||
Total | 334 | 100 | — | 334 | 100 |
2004–2008
[edit]The figures in the table below denote only the seats in the Chamber of Deputies:
Party | % of seats | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|
Social Democratic Party | 32.31 | 105 | |
Democratic Liberal Party[k] | 20.62 | 67 | |
National Liberal Party | 18.15 | 59 | |
Greater Romania Party[l] | 6.77 | 22 | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 6.77 | 22 | |
Conservative Party | 5.85 | 19 | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 5.54 | 18 | |
Independents | 4.00 | 13 | |
Total | 100 | 325 |
2000–2004
[edit]The figures in the table below denote only the seats in the Chamber of Deputies:
Party | % of seats | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|
Social Democratic Party | 44.92 | 155 | |
Greater Romania Party | 24.34 | 84 | |
Democratic Party | 8.98 | 31 | |
National Liberal Party | 8.69 | 30 | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 7.82 | 27 | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 5.21 | 18 | |
Total | 100 | 345 |
1996–2000
[edit]The figures in the table below denote only the seats in the Chamber of Deputies:
Party | % of seats | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|
Romanian Democratic Convention | 35.56 | 122 | |
Party of Social Democracy in Romania | 26.53 | 91 | |
Social Democratic Union[m] | 15.45 | 53 | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 7.28 | 25 | |
Greater Romania Party | 5.53 | 19 | |
Romanian National Unity Party[n] | 5.24 | 18 | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 4.37 | 15 | |
Total | 100 | 343 |
1992–1996
[edit]The figures in the table below denote only the seats in the Chamber of Deputies:
Party | % of seats | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|
Democratic National Salvation Front | 34.31 | 117 | |
Romanian Democratic Convention | 24.04 | 82 | |
National Salvation Front | 12.60 | 43 | |
Romanian National Unity Party | 8.79 | 30 | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 7.91 | 27 | |
Greater Romania Party | 4.69 | 16 | |
Socialist Party of Labour[o] | 3.81 | 13 | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 3.81 | 13 | |
Total | 100 | 341 |
1990–1992
[edit]The figures in the table below denote only the seats in the Chamber of Deputies:
Party | % of seats | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|
National Salvation Front | 66.31 | 263 | |
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania | 7.23 | 29 | |
National Liberal Party | 6.41 | 29 | |
Ecological Movement of Romania[p] | 2.62 | 12 | |
Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party | 2.56 | 12 | |
Others (including independents) | 13.88 | 39 | |
Parties of ethnic minorities | 0.99 | 11 | |
Total | 100 | 396 |
Notes
[edit]- ^
- ^ 1 senator sits with the Romanian Nationhood Party (NR)
- ^
- FD (3)
- SOS (1)
- Independents (4)
- ^
- ^
- ^
- ^
- ^ Until 1992
- ^ PLUS member
- ^ Initially entered the Parliament as USR PLUS, then reverted its name officially to USR after their latest party congress which took place in early October 2021.
- ^ The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) initially entered the parliament as the Democratic Party (PD) and subsequently enlarged itself with the absorption of the PNL splinter group called PLD, or Liberal Democratic Party, thereby renaming itself PDL.
- ^ This was the last legislature in which the Greater Romania Party (PRM) entered the parliament.
- ^ The Social Democratic Union (USD) was formed by the Democratic Party (PD) and the Romanian Social Democratic Party (PSDR) as an alternative to the Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR; now PSD).
- ^ This was the last legislature in which the Romanian National Unity Party (PUNR) entered the parliament.
- ^ This was the first and only legislature in which the Socialist Party of Labour (PSM) entered the parliament.
- ^ This was the first and only legislature in which the Ecological Movement of Romania (MER) entered the parliament.
References
[edit]- ^ For the modification of the structure of parliament, a constitutional amendment is needed. (euractiv.ro)
- ^ "Governmental responsibility and parliamentary irresponsibility in the Romanian constitutional tradition by Radu Carp". Archived from the original on 7 November 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2006.
- ^ Ultimul up-date 12:44 GMT+2 (8 March 2002). "Dan Martian, ambasadorul Romaniei in Portugalia, a decedat - Ziarul de Iasi". Ziaruldeiasi.ro. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)