Liberal Democratic Party (Romania)
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| 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, conservatism |
| 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 |
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. The National Liberal Party and the Democratic Party are part of the Justice and Truth governing alliance, even though relations between them have become increasingly tense since 2006.
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;[1] in early February 2007, it had gathered the necessary signatures for registration and was just waiting for the court decision to verify the registration.[2]
The slogan of the PLD is Progress, Liberty, Dignity.[3]
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[edit] Policy
The Liberal Democratic Party tends to be more conservative than the National Liberal Party which it split off from. It intends to join the European People's Party at EU level, and to form an electoral alliance with the Democratic Party at the European parliamentary elections of May 2007.[4]
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 rose in the promotion of our traditions and customs."[5]
[edit] Criticism
There has been an increasing amount of criticism regarding PLD from both the media and the National Liberal Party. PLD leaders have been closely tied to the Romanian President Traian Băsescu, who is at open war with Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu - PLD being seen as an attempt to undermine PNL's internal structure and credibility and to make way for a bigger populist party under Băsescu's control.
[edit] Notes
- ^ 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
- ^ Laura Gafencu, PLD vrea pe liste cu PD (PLD wants to be on the same list as PD), Evenimentul Zilei, January 18, 2007
- ^ Vicepresedintele PLD a luat calea Bisericii (The Vice-President of the PLD has gone the Church's way), Gândul, January 22, 2007
