Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party
Partidul Național Țărănesc Creștin Democrat
|
|
|---|---|
_logo.png){kind=logo} |
|
| Abbreviation | PNȚCD |
| Leader | Aurelian Pavelescu |
| Founded | December 1989 |
| Preceded by | National Peasants' Party |
| Headquarters | Carol I Boulevard, nr. 24 Sector 2, Bucharest |
| Ideology |
|
| Political position | Centre-right to right-wing |
| Regional affiliation | Coalition for Baia Mare (2016) |
| European affiliation | European Christian Political Party (2020–present) EPP (1987–2017) |
| International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International |
| European Parliament group | European Conservatives and Reformists (2020–present) |
| Colours | Green and blue |
| Senate |
0 / 136
|
| Chamber of Deputies |
0 / 330
|
| European Parliament (Romanian seats) |
0 / 33
|
| Mayors |
0 / 3,176
|
| County Councilors |
0 / 1,340
|
| Local Councilors |
0 / 39,900
|
The Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party (Romanian: Partidul Național Țărănesc Creștin Democrat, PNȚCD) is a political party in Romania. It focuses on ideas like supporting farmers (agrarianism) and Christian values in politics (Christian democracy). The party sees itself as the continuation of the National Peasants' Party (PNȚ), which existed before World War II.
The PNȚCD was a very important party in the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR) during the 1990s. Leaders like Corneliu Coposu and Ion Diaconescu were former political prisoners from the time when Romania was under communist rule. After the 2000s, the party became less popular and is now a smaller party. It joined the European Christian Political Party (ECPP) in 2020.
In 2019, another group called the National Peasant Alliance (ANȚ) separated from the PNȚCD. They felt the main party had moved away from its original ideas.
Contents
History of the Party
Early Years: 1989–1992
The Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party was re-established in December 1989 by Corneliu Coposu, Ioan Alexandru, and Ion Rațiu. It was the first political party officially registered after the Romanian Revolution and the end of communism.
In the 1990 elections, the party came in 4th place. Its presidential candidate, Ion Rațiu, finished 3rd. To stand against the powerful National Salvation Front (FSN), the PNȚCD decided to form a strong alliance with other parties.
In 1991, the PNȚCD, along with the National Liberal Party (PNL) and other groups, created the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR). The PNȚCD became the most important party within this convention. From 1990 to 1992, it was one of the main opposition parties.
Growing Influence: 1992–1996
In the 1992 elections, the party ran as part of the CDR. They supported Emil Constantinescu for president. The CDR came in 2nd place, and Emil Constantinescu made it to the second round of the presidential election, where he also finished second. During this time, from 1992 to 1996, the PNȚCD was the main opposition force in the Parliament of Romania.
Leading the Government: 1996–2000
In the 1996 elections, the CDR won first place. Emil Constantinescu, supported by the CDR, won the presidency. From 1996 to 2000, the PNȚCD was the most important party in the government. It was part of a large group of parties that included the Democratic Party (PD) and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ).
In the 2000 elections, the PNȚCD ran as part of the CDR 2000 alliance. However, they did not get enough votes to enter parliament. This was because the alliance had split, and other right-leaning parties had formed. The party was not in parliament from 2000 to 2004.
Changes and Challenges: 2004–2008
In the 2004 elections, the PNȚCD ran on its own but again did not get enough votes to enter parliament. They supported Gheorghe Ciuhandu, the former mayor of Timișoara, for president. He finished 5th.
In 2005, the party changed its name to the Christian Democratic People's Party (PPCD) for a short time, after joining with another group. But it soon returned to its original name, PNȚCD. The party did not take part in the 2008 elections.
Around this time, the party was divided. One part supported Aurelian Pavelescu as president, who wanted to work with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL). Another part supported former Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea, who preferred an alliance with the National Liberal Party.
Recent Years: 2011–Present
Victor Ciorbea was elected party president in June 2011. However, the party remained divided until Ciorbea left in October 2012 to become a senator for the PNL. After this, Aurelian Pavelescu was recognized as president, and the different groups within the party came back together.
For the 2012 elections, the PNȚCD joined the Right Romania Alliance (ARD) with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and Civic Force (FC). The party won one seat in the Senate and one in the Chamber of Deputies. Pavelescu was re-elected president in April 2013.
In the 2014 European Parliament election, the party received less than 1% of the votes.
After the 2019 European Parliament election, the party gained one MEP, Cristian Terheș, through an agreement with the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
For the 2019 Romanian presidential election, the party did not have its own candidate but supported the PSD candidate, Viorica Dăncilă. The party did not compete in the 2020 Romanian legislative election but did take part in the 2020 Romanian local elections. In those elections, they won 1 mayor position and 42 local councilor seats.
Party Mottos
In 2006, the party's motto was Fiecare contează, which means Each one counts. For the 2014 EU elections, their motto was Renaștem pentru România ta!, meaning Reborn for your Romania!.
Party Beliefs
The PNȚCD is a party that believes in supporting farmers, Christian values, and Christian humanism. It stands for "social justice, Christian morality and enlightened patriotism." The party is against communism and wants to remove its influence from Romania. It supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Romanian constitution. The party also aims to protect the cultural rights of all Romanian people. It believes in equal opportunities for everyone, upholding the rule of law, protecting the right to own private property, and making changes to help the Romanian economy grow.
Internationally, the party is a member of Centrist Democrat International (CDI), which includes other Christian democratic and conservative groups. It used to be part of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament but later joined the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group.
Election Results
National Elections
| Election | Chamber | Senate | Position | Aftermath | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | |||
| 1990 | 351,357 | 2.56 |
12 / 395
|
348,637 | 2.50 |
1 / 119
|
4th | Opposition to FSN government (1990–1991) |
| Opposition to FSN-PNL-MER-PDAR government (1991–1992) | ||||||||
| 1992 | 2,117,144 | 19.46 |
41 / 341
|
2,210,722 | 20.16 |
21 / 143
|
2nd (as CDR)1 |
Opposition to PDSR-PSM-PUNR-PRM government (1992–1996) |
| 1996 | 3,692,321 | 30.17 |
81 / 343
|
3,772,084 | 30.70 |
25 / 143
|
1st (within CDR)2 |
CDR-USD-UDMR government (1996–2000) |
| 2000 | 546,135 | 5.04 |
0 / 345
|
575,706 | 5.29 |
0 / 140
|
6th (as CDR 2000)3 |
Extra-parliamentary opposition to PDSR minority government (2000–2004) |
| 2004 | 188,268 | 1.85 |
0 / 332
|
196,027 | 1.90 |
0 / 137
|
6th | Extra-parliamentary endorsement for DA-PUR-UDMR government (2004–2007) |
| Extra-parliamentary endorsement for PNL-UDMR minority government (2007–2008) | ||||||||
| 2008 | did not compete4 |
0 / 334
|
did not compete4 |
1 / 137
|
3rd (on PNL's lists) |
Opposition to PDL-PSD government (2008–2009) | ||
| Opposition to PDL-UNPR-UDMR government (2009–2012) | ||||||||
| Opposition to USL government (2012) | ||||||||
| 2012 | 1,223,189 | 16.51 |
1 / 412
|
1,239,318 | 16.71 |
1 / 176
|
2nd (as ARD)5 |
Opposition to USL government (2012–2014) |
| Opposition to PSD-UNPR-UDMR-PC government (2014) | ||||||||
| Opposition to PSD-UNPR-ALDE government (2014–2015) | ||||||||
| Endorsing the technocratic Cioloș Cabinet (2015–2017) | ||||||||
| 2016 | did not compete | Extra-parliamentary endorsement for PSD-ALDE government (2017–2019) | ||||||
| Extra-parliamentary endorsement for PSD minority government (2019) | ||||||||
| Extra-parliamentary opposition to PNL minority government (2019–2020) | ||||||||
| 2020 | did not compete | Extra-parliamentary opposition to PNL-USR PLUS-UDMR government (2020–2021) | ||||||
| Extra-parliamentary opposition to PNL-UDMR minority government (2021) | ||||||||
| Extra-parliamentary opposition to CNR government (2021–present) | ||||||||
| 2024 | did not compete | Extra-parliamentary opposition to PSD-PNL-UDMR government | ||||||
Notes:
1 In 1992, the CDR included PNȚCD and other parties like PAC, PNL-AT, PSDR, PNL-CD, and PER.
2 In 1996, the CDR included PNȚCD, PNL, PNL-CD, PAR, PER, and Ecologist Federation of Romania (FER).
3 The CDR 2000 included PNȚCD, UFD, Ecologist Federation of Romania (FER), National Christian Democratic Alliance (ANCD), and The Moldavians' Party (PM).
4 PNȚCD candidates ran on PNL lists.
5 The Right Romania Alliance (ARD) included PDL, FC, and PNȚCD.
Presidential Elections
| Election | Candidate | First round | Second round | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Percentage | Position | Votes | Percentage | Position | ||
| 1990 | Ion Rațiu | 617,007 |
4.3%
|
3rd | |||
| 1992 | Emil Constantinescu1 | 3,717,006 |
31.1%
|
2nd | 4,641,207 |
38.6%
|
2nd |
| 1996 | Emil Constantinescu1 | 3,569,941 |
28.2%
|
2nd | 7,057,906 |
54.4%
|
1st |
| 2000 | Mugur Isărescu2 | 1,069,463 |
9.5%
|
4th | |||
| 2004 | Gheorghe Ciuhandu | 198,394 |
1.9%
|
5th | |||
| 2009 | Traian Băsescu3 | 3,153,640 |
32.45%
|
1st | 5,275,808 |
50.33%
|
1st |
| 2014 | Elena Udrea4 | 493,376 |
5.2%
|
4th | |||
| 2019 | Viorica Dăncilă5 | 2,051,725 |
22.26%
|
2nd | 3,339,922 |
33.91%
|
2nd |
| 2024 | Călin Georgescu6 | not endorsed | election annulled | ||||
| 2025 | George Simion7 | 3,862,761 |
40.96%
|
1st | 5,339,053 |
46.4%
|
2nd |
Notes:
1 Emil Constantinescu was the candidate supported by PNȚCD as part of the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR) in 1992 and 1996.
2 Mugur Isărescu was supported by PNȚCD as part of the Romanian Democratic Convention 2000 (CDR 2000) alliance in 2000.
3 PDL candidate Traian Băsescu was supported by a part of PNȚCD in 2009.
4 Elena Udrea was supported by the People's Movement Party (PMP)-PNȚCD alliance in 2014.
5 PSD candidate Viorica Dăncilă was supported by PNȚCD in 2019. 6 Independent candidate supported by PNȚCD in the second round, which was later cancelled. 7 AUR candidate supported by PNȚCD.
European Elections
| Election | Votes | Percentage | MEPs | Position | EU Party | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 71,001 | 1.38% |
0 / 35
|
11th | EPP | EPP Group |
| 2009 | 70,428 | 1.45% |
0 / 33
|
7th | EPP | EPP Group |
| 2014 | 49,978 | 0.89% |
0 / 32
|
12th | EPP | EPP Group |
| 2019 | did not compete1 | |||||
| 2024 | did not compete | |||||
Notes:
1 The party had an agreement to support the Social Democratic Party (PSD).
Party Leaders
Also served as Prime Minister Also served as Chamber President
| Nº | Name Born – Died |
Portrait | Term start | Term end | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corneliu Coposu (1914–1995) |
 |
1990 | 1995 | c. 5 years |
| 2 | Ion Diaconescu (1917–2011) |
 |
1995 | 2001 | c. 6 years |
| – | Constantin Dudu Ionescu (acting/ad interim) (1954– |
 |
2001 | 2001 | less than 1 year |
| 3 | Andrei Marga (1946– |
2002 | 2002 | less than 1 year | |
| 4 | Victor Ciorbea (1954– |
.JPG) |
2002 | 2004 | c. 2 years |
| 5 | Gheorghe Ciuhandu (1947– |
.jpg) |
2004 | 2007 | c. 3 years |
| 6 | Marian Petre Miluț (1955– |
2007 | 2011 | c. 4 years | |
| 7 | Aurelian Pavelescu (1964– |
2011 | Incumbent | c. 11 years |
Well-Known Members
|
|
See also
In Spanish: Partido Nacional Campesino Cristiano Demócrata para niños
