Social Liberal Union

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, respectively, the National Liberal Party (PNL).

Social Liberal Union
Uniunea Social Liberală
Coalition co-PresidentsVictor Ponta
Crin Antonescu
Party PresidentsVictor Ponta (PSD)
Crin Antonescu (PNL)
Daniel Constantin (PC)
Gabriel Oprea (UNPR)
Founded5 February 2011
Dissolved25 February 2014
HeadquartersȘoseaua Kiseleff nr. 57
011344 Bucharest
IdeologyBig tent
Political positionSyncretic
ColorsRed, 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

Formation

The USL was formed on 5 February 2011[1] 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

In 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)[2] 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.[3]

Dissolution

After 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.[4]

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

Legislative elections
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.

National elections
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
Year Candidate First round
Votes Percentage Position
2012 Sorin Oprescu1430,512
53.79%
 1st 
Notes

1 Independent candidate endorsed by USL

See also

References
  1. Romanian opposition parties join forces, SE Times, 06/02/2011
  2. UNPR a format cu PSD Alianţa de Centru Stânga, parte a USL, Manciu Andi and Ioana Câmpean, Mediafax
  3. "FOCUS Information Agency". FOCUS Information Agency.
  4. "Romania's Liberals to leave ruling coalition, government". 25 February 2014.
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