This article gives an overview of liberalism and
radicalism in Romania. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in
parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in this scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary for a party to have actually labeled itself as a liberal party.
The National Liberal Party (PNL) has historically had many spin-offs (or breakaway factions) and mergers alike with other centre-right parties (many of which were former breakaway factions returning to the main party). For example, the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) was such a notable relatively recent spin-off/breakaway faction. Furthermore, the Romanian ALDE was a junior partner in a
coalition government along the
Social Democratic Party (PSD) between 2017 and 2019, before merging again in the PNL in early 2022.
History
Precursors
1822:
Ionică Tăutu, representing a group of low-ranking
boyars in
Moldavia, proposed a constitutional project with republican and liberal principles
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
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
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: 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: Frontul Democrației Populare, FDP) which at that time ran as the Bloc of Democratic Parties (
Romanian: 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
unicameralParliament (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: 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: 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: 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).
2006: The Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) was disbanded and a faction of the National Liberal Party (PNL) formed the ⇒ Liberal Democratic Party (
Romanian: Partidul Democrat Liberal, PLD) presided by former PNL president and former FSN Prime Minister
Theodor Stolojan;
2007: The Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) merged with the Democratic Party (PD) and formed ⇒ the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL);
2014: The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) merged into the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL).
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE)
2014: A faction of the ⇒ National Liberal Party (PNL) formed the Liberal Reformist Party (
Romanian: Partidul Liberal Reformator, PLR);