| Partidul Liberal Democrat Liberal Democratic Party |
|
|---|---|
| Leader | Theodor Stolojan |
| Senate Leader | none |
| Chamber Leader | none |
| Founded | December 2006 |
| Headquarters | Calea Victoriei 100, et.1, ap.16 Sector 1 Bucharest |
| Political Ideology | Classical liberalism |
| International Affiliation | none |
| European Affiliation | Intends to join the European People's Party |
| European Parliament Group | none |
| Colours | Orange and blue |
| Website | www.platformaliberala.ro |
| See also | Politics of Romania |
Social Democratic Party National Liberal Party Democratic Party Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania Conservative Party Greater Romania Party Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
The Liberal Democratic Party (Romanian: Partidul Liberal Democrat, or PLD) is a political party in Romania, formed in December 2006 as a breakaway group from the National Liberal Party (PNL). The Liberal Democratic Party is headed by Theodor Stolojan, a former PNL member, and includes a series of prominent former Liberals, such as Gheorghe Flutur, Mona Muscă and Valeriu Stoica, who are opposed to the current leadership of the PNL, headed by Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. The Liberal Democrats also advocate a closer co-operation with the Democratic Party (PD). The PNL and the PD were part of the Justice and Truth governing alliance until Tăriceanu dismissed the PD ministers in April 2007 and formed a minority government with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, marking the end of the alliance.[1] The members of the Liberal Democrats had initially grouped themselves in an informal organisation known as The Liberal Platform (Platforma Liberală). Legally, the party has not yet been registered, with registration expected to be completed early 2007;[2] in early February 2007, it had gathered the necessary signatures for registration and was just waiting for the court decision to verify the registration.[3] The slogan of the PLD is Progress, Liberty, Dignity.[4] It will merge with the Democratic Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party in January 2008.[5] The merger was approved in a party congress on 2007-12-15 with 933 in favour, six abstentions and one against.[6]
Policy
The Liberal Democratic Party tends to be more conservative than the National Liberal Party which it split off from[POV] . It intends to join the European People's Party at EU level. In a televised show however, Vasile Blaga put an end to this rumor, stating PD will go alone at the European pariiamentary elections. On January 22, 2007, the vice-president of the PLD, Gheorghe Flutur, stated that the new party will forge a close relationship with the Romanian Orthodox Church, the country's largest religious denomination. Flutur declared that, "We believe that we must fight for the protection of [our] national identity, especially now, when Romania has entered the European Union. Here, we consider that we must have a very good relationship with the institution of the [Romanian Orthodox] Church and I think that [the church] must play a much more important role in the promotion of our traditions and customs."[7]
Notes
- ^ http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/02/europe/EU-POL-Romania-New-Cabinet.php, "Romania's prime minister names new Cabinet of minority government", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), April 2, 2007
- ^ S-a născut PNL Stolojan, Evenimentul Zilei, December 8, 2006
- ^ http://www.thediplomat.ro/news_review_0207.htm
- ^ Sigla à la PD, statut de PNL, Evenimentul Zilei, December 28, 2006
- ^ http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/152563.html
- ^ http://www.mediafax.ro/engleza/romania-s-liberal-democrats-vote-merger-with-democrats.html?6966;2306830
- ^ Vicepresedintele PLD a luat calea Bisericii (The Vice-President of the PLD has gone the Church's way), Gândul, January 22, 2007
