Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party

The Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romanian: Partidul Național Țărănesc Creștin Democrat, abbreviated PNȚ-CD) is a Christian democratic[2] and agrarian[3] political party in Romania. It claims to be the successor of the National Peasants' Party (created from the merger of the Romanian National Party from Transylvania and the Peasants' Party from Wallachia). The party was excluded from the European People's Party (EPP) in June, 2017.[4] The party joined the European Christian Political Movement in February, 2020.[5]

For the Moldovan political party, see Christian-Democratic People's Party (Moldova).
Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party

Partidul Național Țărănesc Creștin Democrat
LeaderAurelian Pavelescu
FoundedDecember 1989
Preceded byNational Peasants' Party
HeadquartersBd. Carol I, nr. 24
Bucharest
IdeologyAgrarianism
Christian democracy
Monarchism
Political positionCentre to centre-right
European affiliationECPM
EPP (1987–2017)
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International
European Parliament groupECR group
ColoursGreen and Blue
Senate
0 / 136
Chamber of Deputies
0 / 329
European Parliament (Romanian seats)
1 / 33
Mayors
3 / 3,186
[1]
County Councilors
0 / 1,434
[1]
Local Council Councilors
137 / 40,067
[1]
Website
www.pntcd.ro

History

1989–1992

The Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party was (re)-founded by Corneliu Coposu, Ioan Alexandru, and Ion Rațiu in December, 1989, being thus the first officially registered political party after the fall of Communism. The party competed in the 1990 elections, where it ranked 4th with 2.5% (or 348,637 votes) and supported Ion Rațiu for president. The PNȚ-CD presidential candidate ranked 3rd, with 4.3% (or 617,007 votes).

From left to right: Ion Diaconescu, Corneliu Coposu, and Ion Rațiu at a 1990 manifestation held in Bucharest

Given the political dominance of the National Salvation Front (FSN) that was exerted prior and after the first free elections in post-1989 Romania, the PNȚ-CD decided to form a consistent alliance of centre-right parties aiming mainly to oppose it.

As a result, in 1991, most notably alongside the National Liberal Party (but also with other noteworthy civic organisations, foundations, and minor additional right-leaning political parties), the PNȚ-CD formed the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR).

Eventually, the PNȚ-CD would affirm itself as the most dominant internal political force for much of the convention's existence. For the period 1990–1992, PNȚ-CD was one of the main opposition parties.

1992–1996

At the 1992 elections, the party ran on a common CDR list (along with other allied parties within the convention) and supported the candidacy of Emil Constantinescu as President of Romania. Consequently, the CDR ranked 2nd, having scored 20.16% (or 2,210,722 votes), while Emil Constantinescu managed to qualify in the second round of the presidential election where he finished second with 38.57% (or 4,641,207 votes). For the period 1992–1996, the party was the main opposition force in the Parliament of Romania.

1996–2000

At the 1996 elections, CDR managed to rank 1st, with 30.70% (or 3,772,084 votes), and once again supported the candidacy of Emil Constantinescu, who also managed to win the presidency with 54.41% (or 7,057,906 votes). For the period 1996–2000, PNȚ-CD was the most important governing party within the CDR, being also part of a grand coalition which included the Democratic Party (PD) and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR).

At the 2000 elections, PNȚ-CD ran on a common CDR 2000 list and scored 5.30% (or 575,706 votes), being unable to pass the electoral threshold required for an alliance. This weak electoral result was primarily owed to the fragmentation of the alliance and the scission of the Romanian right into several other parties as well as to the tumultuous previous governing term. For the period 2000–2004, PNȚ-CD was in extra-parliamentary opposition.

2004–2008
Party headquarters in Bucharest (2014)

At the 2004 elections, PNȚ-CD ran independently, having scored 1.9% (or 196,027 votes), failing this time as well to surpass the electoral threshold. The party supported the presidential candidacy of Gheorghe Ciuhandu, former mayor of Timișoara. Ciuhandu ranked 5th, with 1.9% (or 198,394 votes).

In March, 2005, PNȚ-CD voted to change its name to the Christian Democratic People's Party (Partidul Popular Creștin-Democrat, PPCD) after the unification with the Union for Romanian Reconstruction. Eventually, it returned to its original name (PNȚ-CD). The party did not compete in the 2008 legislative elections.

Afterwards, the party was split between a wing sustained by Marian-Petre Miluț supporting Aurelian Pavelescu as president (who decided on an alliance with the then governing Democratic Liberal Party) and one supporting former Prime Minister and Bucharest mayor Victor Ciorbea as president (who, at that time, favoured an alliance with the National Liberal Party).[6]

2011–present

Victor Ciorbea was elected on June 18, 2011 president of the party. In September 2011 the Bucharest Courthouse (responsible for the parties registry) recognised Victor Ciorbea as party president.[7] Nonetheless, the split continued until Ciorbea left the party (until October, 2012 namely) in order to become a senator on PNL's lists. Pavelescu was subsequently recognized as president and the fractions were dissolved.

For the 2012 legislative elections, PNȚ-CD ran on a common Right Romania Alliance (ARD), along with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and the Civic Force (FC). The party won one senator seat and one deputy seat. On April 23, 2013, Pavelescu was elected president of the party.

At the 2014 European Parliament election, the party only gained 0.89% of the vote,[8] with candidates like former EP member Sebastian Bodu and the current party president, Aurelian Pavelescu, opening the list.

Following the 2019 European Parliament election and thanks to an agreement between the party and Social Democratic Party, the party has 1 MEP: Cristian Terheș.[9]

Motto

Its motto as of 2006 is Fiecare contează (Each one counts). At the 2014 European elections PNȚCD motto was Renaștem pentru România ta! (Reborn for your Romania!)

Electoral history

Legislative elections
Election Chamber Senate Position Aftermath
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
1990 351,357 2.56
12 / 395
 348,637 2.50
1 / 119
  4th  Opposition to FSN government (until October 1991)
Opposition to FSN-PNL-MER-PDAR government
1992 2,117,144 19.46
41 / 341
 2,210,722 20.16
21 / 143
  2nd 
(as CDR)1		 Opposition to PDSR-PUNR-PRM government
1996 3,692,321 30.17
81 / 343
 3,772,084 30.70
25 / 143
  1st 
(within CDR)2		 CDR-USD-UDMR
2000 546,135 5.04
0 / 345
 575,706 5.29
0 / 140
  6th 
(as CDR 2000)3		 Extra-parliamentary opposition to PDSR minority government
2004 188,268 1.85
0 / 332
 196,027 1.90
0 / 137
  6th  Extra-parliamentary support to DA-PUR-UDMR government (until April 2007)
Extra-parliamentary support to PNL-UDMR minority government
2008 did not compete4
0 / 334
 did not compete4
1 / 137
 - Opposition to PDL-PSD government (until December 2009)
Opposition to PDL-UNPR-UDMR (until May 2012)
Opposition to USL government (until December 2012)
2012 1,223,189 16.51
1 / 412
 1,239,318 16.71
1 / 176
  2nd 
(as ARD)5		 Opposition to USL government (until March 2014)
Opposition to PSD-UNPR-UDMR-PC government (until December 2014)
Opposition to PSD-UNPR-ALDE government (until November 2015)
Supporting Cioloș Cabinet (Ind.)
2016 did not compete Extra-parliamentary support to PSD-ALDE government (until August 2019)
Extra-parliamentary support to PSD minority government (until November 2019)
Extra-parliamentary opposition to PNL minority government
2020 did not compete
Extra-parliamentary opposition to PNL-USR-PLUS-UDMR

Notes:

1 CDR members in 1992: PNȚCD, PAC (7 senators and 13 deputies), PNL-AT (1 senator and 11 deputies), PSDR (1 senator and 10 deputies), PNL-CD (4 senators and 3 deputies) and PER (no senators and 4 deputies).
2 CDR members in 1996: PNȚCD, PNL (22 senators and 28 deputies), PNL-CD (1 senator and 4 deputies), PAR (3 senators and 3 deputies), PER (1 senator and 5 deputies) and Ecologist Federation of Romania (FER - 1 senator and 1 deputy).
3 CDR 2000 members: PNȚCD, UFD, Ecologist Federation of Romania (FER), National Christian Democratic Alliance (ANCD) and The Moldavians Party (PM).
4 PNȚCD competed on PNL ballots.
5 Right Romania Alliance members: PDL (22 senators and 52 deputies), FC (1 senators and 3 deputies) and PNȚCD.

Presidential elections
Election Candidate First round Second round
Votes Percentage Position Votes Percentage Position
1990 Ion Rațiu617,007
4.3%
 3rd 
1992 Emil Constantinescu13,717,006
31.1%
 2nd 4,641,207
38.6%
 2nd 
1996 Emil Constantinescu13,569,941
28.2%
 2nd 7,057,906
54.4%
 1st 
2000 Mugur Isărescu21,069,463
9.5%
 4th 
2004 Gheorghe Ciuhandu198,394
1.9%
 5th 
2009 did not compete3
2014 Elena Udrea4493,376
5.2%
 4th 
2019 did not compete5

Notes:

1 Emil Constantinescu was the common centre-right candidate that was endorsed by the PNȚCD in both 1992 and 1996 as part of the larger Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR).
2 Mugur Isărescu was endorsed by the PNȚCD at the 2000 elections as part of the Romanian Democratic Convention 2000 (CDR 2000) alliance.
3 Electoral protocol endorsing Traian Băsescu, the candidate of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), due to a decision enforced by the then official fraction of the PNȚCD led by Marian Petre Miluț.
4 Elena Udrea was endorsed by the People's Movement Party (PMP)-PNȚCD alliance at the 2014 Romanian presidential elections.
5 Electoral protocol endorsing Viorica Dăncilă, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

European elections
ElectionVotesPercentageMEPsPositionEU PartyEP Group
2007 71,001 1.38%
0 / 35
  11th  EPP EPP Group
2009 70,428 1.45%
0 / 33
  7th  EPP EPP Group
2014 49,978 0.89%
0 / 32
  12th  EPP EPP Group
2019 did not compete1

Notes:

1 Electoral protocol endorsing the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

Presidents of the party
  Also served as Prime Minister
  Also served as Chamber President
Nº Name
Born - Died		 Portrait Term start Term end Duration
1 Corneliu Coposu
(1914–1995)		 1990 1995 5 years
2 Ion Diaconescu
(1917–2011)		 1995 2001 6 years
– Constantin Dudu Ionescu
(interim)
(1954–		 2001 2001 less than 1 year
3 Andrei Marga
(1946–		 2002 2002 less than 1 year
4 Victor Ciorbea
(1954–		 2002 2004 2 years
5 Gheorghe Ciuhandu
(1947–		 2004 2007 3 years
6 Marian Petre Miluț
(1955–		 2007 2011 4 years
7 Aurelian Pavelescu
(1964–		 2011 present 9 years to date


Notable members

References
  1. http://www.2016bec.ro/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SIAL2016_Situatia_mandatelor_partide-2.xlsx
  2. 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.
  3. Daniele Caramani (2013). The Europeanization of Politics. Cambridge University Press. p. 310. ISBN 978-1-107-11867-6.
  4. "Primul partid românesc din PPE a fost EXCLUS! " A fost o EXECUŢIE în stil BOLŞEVIC"". 9 June 2017.
  5. "PNTCD Romania becomes the newest member of ECPM". ECPM. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  6. Newsin, Radu Sârbu a fost reales președintele aripii anti-Miluț a PNȚCD. September 26, 2009. Accessed on September 27, 2009
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2012-09-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-05-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "PSD a pierdut un europarlamentar. Cristian Terheș a trecut la grupul extremiștilor din Parlamentul European". www.digi24.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2020-05-12.

Further reading
  • Lavinia Stan, “From Riches to Rags: The Romanian National Christian Democrat Peasant Party,” East European Quarterly, vol. 39, no. 2 (Summer 2005), pp. 179–227.
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