Contact us T +32 (0)2 626 07 20 | info@europeangreens.eu

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Flickr

Donate

  • Login to your account
  • User account
  • About Us
    • Organisation
    • People
    • Networks and Working Groups
    • Guidelines
  • Our Positions
    • Positions
    • Resolutions
    • Policy Papers
    • Manifesto
  • Get involved
    • Climate Action
    • European Green Recovery Campaign
    • Green Talking Heads
    • European Ideas Lab
    • The Green Screen
    • Local Councillors' Network
    • Trans-Inclusive Feminist Campaign
  • Member Parties
  • News
    • News
    • Press Releases
    • Brand Assets
    • Communications Team
  • Events
Home
  • About Us
  • Our Positions
  • Get involved
  • Member Parties
  • News
  • Events
  • Positions
    • Foreign and Security Policy
    • Europe and Democracy
    • Climate and Energy
    • Economy and Jobs
    • Human Rights and Migration
    • Social Justice and Health
    • Environment and Food
  • Resolutions
  • Policy Papers
  • Manifesto

Political rights violated in Romania

Share
Share on FacebookShare on Twittershare on Linked Inshare on Google Plusshare via email

Resolution accepted at the EGP Council meeting, Malmö, Sweden, October 16-18, 2009

Democracy cannot be imagined without free and fair elections.

The European Greens are very concerned regarding the infringement of political rights in Romania.

Romania seems to establish, especially with the new electoral law from 2008, the most restrictive, discriminating and undemocratic provisions of the electoral laws in the European Union far beyond any reasonable standards. So, Romania failed to assume the obligations of membership in the EU by unsatisfying political conditions required.

The so-called "Copenhagen criteria", set out in December 1993 by the European Council in Copenhagen, require a candidate country to European Union to have:

"stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, (...). Membership presupposes the candidate's ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union."

The report "Political rights violations using undemocratic stipulations in Romanian Electoral Laws System" written by Mr. Remus Cernea, the Executive President of the Romanian Green Party, shows that minor parties and independent candidates are subjected to various forms of discrimination.

There are too many signatures to collect in order to stand for elections, the deposit required is too high for independents and small parties, the way in which the seats are given to the candidates is discriminatory, the principle of equal voting power is broken and the access to the media restricted. For instance: The deposit for a party to stand for general elections in all the constituencies is more than 314,000 Euros, the number of signatures for presidential elections is higher than in France which is a country having three more times citizens than Romania, the difference between the number of citizens in different constituencies is usually more than 30% and sometimes more than 100% percents and so on.

Because of these kinds of provisions only the big parties from Romania may stand for elections, but this situation is unacceptable in a member state of EU.

Democracy cannot be imagined without free and fair elections. “The code of good practice in electoral matters” legislated by the European Commission for Democracy Through Law – Venice Commission and supported by the Council of Europe through Resolution no 1320/2003 defines these rules of democratic elections: universal, equal, free, secret and direct suffrage, as well as the frequency of election.

The situation of democracy and human rights is very serious in Romania. That’s why it’s imperative for European institutions to ask the Romanian authorities to change the restrictive, discriminating and undemocratic electoral provisions and to respect the European democratic heritage of free and fair elections.

The European Greens will support the attempt to put the necessary pressure on the Romanian authorities in order to change the electoral laws with democratic ones. Also The European Greens may offer advisory assistance for an improvement of the electoral laws in Romania.

 

Download the complete resolution in PDF format here...

Recent News

Icon:
Title:

The end of Roe vs. Wade in the US must push us to defend abortion rights in Europe

Post date:
30 June 2022
Body:

European Greens Co-Chair Mélanie Vogel (France), and Committee Members Mina Jack Tolu (Malta) and Malgorzata Tracz (Poland) speak out on the current state of abortion rights in Europe. Access to safe, legal and free abortion must be guaranteed across Europe and abroad to create a more humane world for all and protect those most marginalised!

Icon:
Title:

Dritan Abazović, the First Green Prime Minister of Montenegro: ‘Nothing is impossible!’

Post date:
23 June 2022
Body:

Dritan Abazović, president of our member party URA and Prime Minister of Montenegro since April 2022, is driving huge changes in a small Balkan country. URA was established in 2015 and represents all ethnicities and stands for a European, ecological and democratic Montenegro. Abazović's plans for Montenegro include ridding the country of corruption and pursuing a pro-European agenda.

Icon:
Title:

The European Greens welcome new candidate member parties Hållbart Initiativ and Progresīvie

Post date:
17 June 2022
Body:

Åland's Sustainable Initiative (Hållbart Initiativ) and Latvia's the Progressives (Progresīvie) have been accepted as our newest candidate member parties by delegates at the 35th European Green Party Council in Riga, Latvia. We are proud to welcome them into our Green family and to interview them to discuss their priorities in their respective countries.

More News

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Flickr
Tweet Contents:

RT @anna_cavazzini: Amazing news from Brazil: a historic Supreme Court ruling on climate change! 💪🏼

Tweet Author:
europeangreens
Creation Date:
5 hours ago
Tweet Contents:

✊ These policies are important steps forward, but we need more for the EU to live up to a 1.5°C future. As Greens, we will keep fighting for an ambitious European Green Deal! https://t.co/vktYxRddhj

Tweet Author:
europeangreens
Creation Date:
5 hours ago
Tweet Contents:

🚘 Learn more about the #SocialClimateFund and the #EmissionStandards for cars! https://t.co/19CrKbNEs8

Tweet Author:
europeangreens
Creation Date:
5 hours ago

Sign up to our newsletter

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Fill in the blank.

Take charge of your future. Donate Green.

Chip in today to help us build a Greener Europe!

Donate

  • Organisation
    • About
    • History
    • Councils
    • Congresses
    • Finance Advisory Board
    • Amendments Committee
    • Conciliation Panel
  • People
    • Committee
    • Team
    • Vacancies
    • Traineeships
  • Networks and Working Groups
    • Networks
      • Balkan
      • Gender
      • tilt!
      • Queer
      • Local Councillors
      • Seniors
    • Working Groups
      • Foreign and Security Policy
      • Future of Europe
      • Trade
  • Guidelines
    • Charter
    • Statutes
    • Rulebook
    • Finances
    • Privacy Policy
  • Our Positions
    • Positions
    • Resolutions
    • Policy Papers
    • Manifesto
  • Member Parties
  • News
    • News
    • Press Releases
    • Brand Assets
    • Communications Team
  • Events
  • Campaigns
    • The Green Screen
    • Climate Action for the People and the Planet
    • Trans-Inclusive Feminist Campaign
    • European Green Recovery Campaign
  • Donate
Home

Rue du Taciturne 34

B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

T +32 (0) 2 626 07 20

info@europeangreens.eu

© European Greens - With the financial support of the European Parliament. Sole liability remains with the author.

cookies