RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

The Senate votes for the new election law

With 105 in favour and two against, the Senate adopted the draft law on general elections

The Senate votes for the new election law
The Senate votes for the new election law

, 04.06.2015, 14:17

The draft election law was passed on Wednesday by the Senate and has been submitted to the Chamber of Deputies for approval. Under the new law, next years elections will use the party-list voting system, while the numbers of MPs will also be cut. At present, Parliament totals 412 deputies and 176 senators. Adopted by a large majority in the Senate, the draft law provides for a representation quota of one Deputy for every 73,000 inhabitants and one Senator for every 168,000 inhabitants.



The new Parliament will therefore have 308 deputies and 134 senators, 18 MPs representing ethnic minorities and 6 representing the Diaspora. All political factions voted in favour of the bill. Both the Social-Democratic Party in the ruling coalition and the National Liberal Party in opposition have hailed the draft law. Liberal MP Puiu Hasotti believes the draft law will restore a sense of normalcy, given that the party-list voting system worked just fine up until 2004 and continues to be used in most countries with a proportional representation system. Two rounds of elections, in 2008 and 2012, have revealed the deep flaws in the current election law, which also sparks political turmoil, Hasotti went on to say.



Under the new law, the election threshold will be set at 5% of the total number of votes at national level, or at 20% of the votes in at least four constituencies for all candidates. Additionally, in the case of political coalitions or election alliances, apart from meeting the election threshold in order to ensure representation, the second member of the alliance will need to grab 3% of the votes at national level, while every other member will need to secure 1% of the votes cast in all constituencies, up to a maximum value of 10% of these votes.



The reform of the Parliament is not a new idea in itself. Several months ago president Klaus Iohannis held consultations with political parties in this respect. On the sideline of the meeting the president and party representatives agreed on a timetable, under which Romania commits to fully reforming its election and party funding legislation by the end Parliaments current tenure. At the time, president Iohannis said cutting the number of MPs was not a populist move, nor was it motivated by any financial reasons, but argued that a smaller Parliament is an efficient Parliament.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Source: NATO)
Today in the News Tuesday, 05 November 2024

NATO must stay united

NATO will work with the winner of the US elections, whoever that person may be and will do its best to stay united, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte...

NATO must stay united
Maia Sandu (Photo: presedinte.md)
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe
The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), Toni Grebla
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Election campaigns in Romania

    The campaign for the general election in Romania started last week, at midnight on Thursday, and will end on 30 November. During this...

Election campaigns in Romania
November 1 - National Radio Day
Today in the News Friday, 01 November 2024

Radio Romania 96

Radio Romania has celebrated 96 years since it first entered the listeners houses from Romania and abroad. On November 1 1928 the Romanians were able...

Radio Romania 96
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Romanians’ concerns

Romanians and Austrians are the most satisfied with their lives among the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, but the former are significantly...

Romanians’ concerns
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Republic of Moldova, crucial final

On November 3, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have to choose, for the position of head of state, between the pro-European Maia Sandu, the...

Republic of Moldova, crucial final
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Drones, a security issue

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has placed under decisional transparency a bill that improves airspace security measures. The bill, which...

Drones, a security issue
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has rejected the referral of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) in relation to the so-called...

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company