2019 European Parliament election in Romania

Summary:

Reports, analyses and information on the electoral campaign and the aftermath of the European Parliament election held in Romania on 26 May 2019.

Further information:

Polls suggested the ruling centre-left PSD could lose many of its votes, while its main opposition party PNL gained support in the month before the election, which could lead to a close tie to become the strongest force between both parties. Former Prime Minister Dacian Cioloș, who headed the anti-corruption social liberal Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party (PLUS) formed an alliance with the existing liberal anti-corruption party USR. Centre-right parties UDMR and PMP had chances to snatch a few MEP seats each if they passed the 5% electoral threshold.

The electoral campaign mainly focused on domestic concerns, but also an anti-Brussels rhetoric gained ground in the month before the election.

According to the preliminary results, ruling Social Democratic Party PSD came second at 22,56% and scored its weakest result in a decade. The party was dogged by controversy over its proposed justice reforms, with both the opposition and Brussels say it would weaken the fight against corruption in Romania. The positioning of the PSD in the European Parliament was uncertain after the Party of European Socialists froze relations with the party in April.

The main opposition party PNL, which belongs to the European People's Party, became the strongest force with around 26, 99%, while USR-PLUS won 22,28% of the vote, according to the preliminary results. These results suggested, that UDMR gained 5,76% and PMP 5,76% of the votes. Pro-Romania, the party of former PSD prime minister Victor Ponta, is set to have won about 6,76% of the votes.

Official

European Elections.eu: How to Vote in Romania https://www.european-elections.eu/how-to-vote/romania

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News

Romania Insider, 14/01/2019: Romania’s former technocrat PM Dacian Ciolos will run in the next EP elections https://www.romania-insider.com/dacian-ciolos-run-ep-elections-2019

Politico, 13/03/2019: Romania’s rulers take Euroskeptic turn https://www.politico.eu/article/romanias-rulers-take-euroskeptic-turn/

EurActiv, 03/04/2019: Victor Ponta: The ruling PSD in Romania is becoming like Fidesz https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/interview/victor-ponta-the-ruling-psd-in-romania-is-becoming-like-fidesz/

Euronews, 16/05/2019: European Parliament elections 2019: The bid to get the youth vote out in Romania https://www.euronews.com/2019/05/16/european-parliament-elections-2019-the-bid-to-get-the-youth-vote-out-in-romania

Euractiv, 21/05/2019: EU socialists say Romania’s Victor Ponta is ‘fully unreliable’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/eu-socialists-say-romanias-victor-ponta-is-fully-unreliable/

Reuters, 26/05/2019: Romanians punish ruling party in anti-graft referendum, EU poll https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-election-romania/romanians-punish-ruling-party-in-anti-graft-referendum-eu-poll-idUSKCN1SW0T6

EurActiv, 27/05/2019: Romanian ruling social-democrats suffer heavy loss https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/romanian-ruling-social-democrats-suffer-heavy-loss/

Euronews, 27/05/2019: Angry Romanians protest after being denied European vote https://www.euronews.com/2019/05/27/angry-romanians-protest-after-being-denied-european-vote

EurActiv, 28/05/2019: The Romanian diaspora – a force to be reckoned with https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/the-romanian-diaspora-a-force-to-be-reckoned-with/

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Commentary and Analysis

Wikipedia: 2019 European Parliament election in Romania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_Romania

Politico: 2019 European Elections Romania https://www.politico.eu/2019-european-elections/romania/

EurActiv, 04/01/2019: EU country briefing: Romania https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/eu-country-briefing-romania/

LSE: Europp Blog, 29/01/2019: European Parliament election preview: Romania’s EU elections will be a battleground for reformist forces https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/01/29/european-parliament-election-preview-romanias-eu-elections-will-be-a-battleground-for-reformist-forces/

Romania Insider, 18/04/2019: European elections 2019: Who will Romania send to the European Parliament? https://www.romania-insider.com/european-elections-2019-romania-candidates

Deutsche Welle, 05/05/2019: Opinion: European Socialists struggle with black sheep Romania https://p.dw.com/p/3HByT

Balkan Insight, 23/05/2019: Romanian Parties Hunt for Votes in Moldova https://balkaninsight.com/2019/05/23/romanian-parties-hunt-for-votes-in-moldova/

EurActive, 23/05/2019: #EU2019 – Romania: The referendum and the EU isolation threat https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/eu2019-romania-the-referendum-and-the-eu-isolation-threat/

The New Federalist, 25/05/2019: A shift of power: Romania’s European Renaissance? https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/a-shift-of-power-romania-s-european-renaissance

France24, 28/05/2019: 2019 European elections Official Results Romania https://graphics.france24.com/results-european-elections-2019/

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ESO Records

European Parliament elections, 23-26 May 2019 https://www.europeansources.info/record/european-parliament-elections-23-26-may-2019/

Political campaign ahead of 2019 European Parliament elections https://www.europeansources.info/record/political-campaign-ahead-of-2019-european-parliament-elections/

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