The Social Liberal Union (Romanian: Uniunea Social Liberală, USL) was a grand coalition of several political parties which was active in Romania during the early to mid 2010s. The alliance contained two major political parties, one major centre-left and one centre-right, more specifically the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL), respectively.
Social Liberal Union Uniunea Social Liberală | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coalition co-Presidents | Victor Ponta Crin Antonescu |
| Party Presidents | Victor Ponta (PSD) Crin Antonescu (PNL) Daniel Constantin (PC) Gabriel Oprea (UNPR) |
| Founded | 5 February 2011 |
| Dissolved | 25 February 2014 |
| Succeeded by | Social Democratic Union (claimed, not legal successor)[1][2] |
| Headquarters | Șoseaua Kiseleff nr. 57 011344 Bucharest |
| Ideology | Big tent |
| Political position | Syncretic |
| Colors | Red, yellow, blue |
| Senate[a] | 135 / 171
|
| Chamber of Deputies[a] | 289 / 404
|
| County Council Presidents[b] | 37 / 41
|
| County Councils[b] | 728 / 1,338
|
| Mayors[c] | 1,969 / 3,121
|
| Local Councils[c] | 20,420 / 39,121
|
| Website | |
| https://web.archive.org/web/20120823103117/http://uslonline.ro/ | |
^ Seats obtained at the 2012 election ^ Seats obtained at the 2012 election ^ Seats computed by adding all the seats obtained at the 2012 election by the Union and the constituent parties at the time of the election | |
History
editFormation
editThe USL was formed on 5 February 2011[3] initially between the Social Democratic Party (PSD), and the Centre Right Alliance (ACD) of National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Conservative Party (PC).
2012 elections
editIn June 2012, the USL won the local elections by a landslide. After the elections, in September, the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR), originally a breakaway from PSD and PNL, together with the PSD formed the Centre Left Alliance (ACS)[4] and entered the USL.
At the parliamentary elections in December, the four-party coalition won about two thirds of the seats in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.[5]
Dissolution
editAfter the Centre Right Alliance (ACD) of PNL and PC dissolved in November 2013, the PC turned leftwards and aligned more with PSD and UNPR. As a result, the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL) broke up the coalition on 25 February 2014 and entered opposition.[6]
In the 2014 presidential election, PSD, UNPR, and PC would designate Victor Ponta as their united candidate, while the PNL formed a new Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL) with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), supporting Klaus Iohannis.
Electoral history
editLegislative elections
edit| Election | Chamber | Senate | Position | Aftermath | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |||
| 2008 | did not exist1 | 144 / 334
|
did not exist1 | 79 / 137
|
– | Opposition to PDL-UNPR-UDMR government (2011–2012) | ||
| USL government (2012) | ||||||||
| 2012 | 4,344,288 | 58.63 | 273 / 412
|
4,457,526 | 60.10 | 122 / 176
|
1st 2 | USL government (2012–2014) |
| Alliance dismantled in March 2014 PSD-UNPR-UDMR-PC government (2014) PNL in opposition | ||||||||
| PSD-UNPR-ALDE3 government (2014–2015) PNL in opposition | ||||||||
| Supporting the technocratic Cioloș Cabinet (2015–2017) | ||||||||
- Notes
1 At the time of the formation (more specifically in February 2011) there were 144 Deputies (89 from PSD, 52 from PNL, and 3 from PC) and 92 Senators (53 from PSD and 39 from PNL)
2 USL was an alliance comprising two smaller alliances as follows: the Centre Left Alliance (ACS) and the Centre Right Alliance (ACD). The members of the Centre Left Alliance (ACS) were PSD (58 senators and 149 deputies) and UNPR (5 senators and 10 deputies). The members of the Centre Right Alliance (ACD) were: PNL (50 senators and 100 deputies) and PC (8 senators and 13 deputies).
3 ALDE was created in June 2015 from a merger of PLR (a splinter of PNL) and PC.
Local elections
editNational elections
edit| Year | County councilors | Mayors | Local councilors | Popular vote | % | Position | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | ||||
| 20121 | 4,203,007 | 49.68 | 723 / 1,338
|
2,782,792 | 33.99 | 1,292 / 3,121
|
2,630,123 | 32.74 | 12,668 / 39,121
|
— | — | 1st |
| Year | County presidents | Position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | ||
| 20121 | 4,260,709 | 49.71 | 36 / 41
|
1st |
- Notes
1 Seats won independently by member parties of the alliance are not shown here.
Mayor of Bucharest
edit| Year | Candidate | First round | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Percentage | Position | ||
| 2012 | Sorin Oprescu1 | 430,512 | 1st | |
- Notes
1 Independent candidate endorsed by USL
See also
edit- The alleged National Coalition for Romania (CNR), a similar political alliance founded by PSD, PNL, and UDMR in late 2021 (in the wake of the 2021 Romanian political crisis) and endorsed by incumbent President Klaus Iohannis.
References
edit- ^ "Scandal pe sloganul "USL trăieşte".PNL va contesta folosirea denumirii USL pe materialele alianţei PSD-PC-UNPR". 5 May 2014.
- ^ "Ivan, către PNL: Dacă sloganul "USL trăieşte" deranjează, vom spune altfel. Dar mesajul va fi exact acelaşi".
- ^ Romanian opposition parties join forces, SE Times, 06/02/2011
- ^ UNPR a format cu PSD Alianţa de Centru Stânga, parte a USL, Manciu Andi and Ioana Câmpean, Mediafax
- ^ "FOCUS Information Agency". FOCUS Information Agency.
- ^ "Romania's Liberals to leave ruling coalition, government". 25 February 2014.