Romania's political framework is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic where the Prime Minister is the head of government while the President, according to the constitution, has a more symbolic role, is responsible for the foreign policy, signs certain decrees, approves laws promulgated by the parliament, and nominates the head of government. Romania has a democratic, multi-party system, with legislative power vested in the government and the two chambers of the Parliament, more specifically the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. From 1948 until 1989, the communist rule political structure took place in the framework of a one-party socialist republic governed by the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) as its only legal party.
Parliamentary elections to elect all 151 members of the Croatian Parliament were held on 23 November 2003. They were the fifth parliamentary elections to take place since the first multi-party elections in 1990. Voter turnout was 61.7%. The result was a victory for the opposition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) which won a plurality of 66 seats, but fell short of the 76 needed to form a government. HDZ chairman Ivo Sanader was named the eighth Prime Minister of Croatia on 23 December 2003, after parliament passed a confidence motion in his government cabinet, with 88 MPs voting in favor, 29 against and 14 abstaining. The ruling coalition going into the elections, consisting of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Croatian People's Party (HNS), Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), Party of Liberal Democrats (Libra) and the Liberal Party (LS), did not contest the elections as a single bloc; the SDP ran with the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), the Party of Liberal Democrats (Libra) and the Liberal Party, HNS ran with the Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar (PGS) and the Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party (SBHS), while HSS ran on its own.
Several politico-constitutional arrangements use reserved political positions, especially when endeavoring to ensure the rights of women, minorities or other segments of society, or preserving a political balance of power.
The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania is a political party in Romania which aims to represent the significant Hungarian minority of Romania.
An ethnic party is a political party that overtly presents itself as the champion of one ethnic group or sets of ethnic groups. Ethnic parties make such representation central to their voter mobilization strategy. An alternate designation is 'Political parties of minorities', but they should not be mistaken with regionalist or separatist parties, whose purpose is territorial autonomy.
About 9.3% of Romania's population is represented by minorities, and 13% unknown or undisclosed according to 2021 census. The principal minorities in Romania are Hungarians and Romani people, with a declining German population and smaller numbers of Poles in Bukovina, Serbs, Croats, Slovaks and Banat Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Greeks, Jews, Turks and Tatars, Armenians, Russians, Afro-Romanians, and others.
Parliamentary elections were held in Romania on 30 November 2008. The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) won three more seats than PSD in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, although the alliance headed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) won more votes and a fractionally higher vote share. The two parties subsequently formed a governing coalition with Emil Boc of the PDL as Prime Minister.
Parliamentary elections were held in Romania on 9 December 2012. The Social Liberal Union (USL) co-led by former Prime Minister Victor Ponta won an absolute majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. At the time of the elections, despite the severe weather in several parts of the country, the turnout was approximately 42%, slightly higher than the last parliamentary elections held in 2008 which saw a turnout of 39%.
The Union of Poles of Romania, or Dom Polski, is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Polish community.
The Democratic Union of Slovaks and Czechs of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Czech and Slovak communities.
The Bulgarian Union of Banat–Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Bulgarian community.
The Democratic Union of Turkic-Muslim Tatars of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Tatar community.
The Democratic Turkish Union of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Turkish community.
The Federation of the Jewish Communities in Romania is an cultural association in Romania representing the Jewish community. The FCER has right to one seat in the Chamber of Deputies.
The Cultural Union of Albanians was an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Albanian community.
The League of Albanians of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Albanian community.
The Bratstvo Community of Bulgarians in Romania was an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Bulgarian community.
The Association of Italians of Romania – RO.AS.IT. is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Italian community of the country. The main objective of the organisation is to preserve the traditions and customs of the Italian community and promote the Italian language, culture, and history. It is supported by the Department of Interethnic Relations and the Italian Embassy in Bucharest. In 2014, it joined the European Democratic Party (EDP).
The Cultural Union of Ruthenians of Romania is an ethnic minority political party in Romania representing the Rusyn community.
Eugen Tomac is a Romanian politician, historian and journalist currently serving as MEP in the European Parliament for Romania since 2019. He is also the President of the People's Movement Party (PMP).
