The proportional representation system will again be used, after
\nbeing replaced in 2008 with the uninominal voting system. <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Over-sized, inefficient and far from properly representing voters
\nthis is how Parliament is perceived by public opinion in Romania. The
\ninadequate, sometimes even abusive interpretation of the principle of
\nparliamentary immunity has also largely contributed to this negative image.
\nSomething had to change, so the new law will replace the uninominal voting
\nsystem with proportional representation. <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Without guaranteeing an improvement in the quality of Parliament’s
\nmembers, the new system will at least result in a reduction in the number of
\nMPs to 466 from 588. Fewer senators and deputies, a reintroduction of the
\nproportional representation system and keeping the 5% minimum threshold are the
\nmain provisions of the new election law, a bill supported by all parliamentary
\ngroups. The Social Democrat MP Gabriela Podasca argues that proportional
\nrepresentation, which will be used in the 2016 elections, is the most
\nrepresentative, simple and fair election system:<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Gabriela Podasca: The number of seats you get in Parliament now
\ndepends on the number of votes you get, provided you reach the minimum threshold.
\nWe will now be able for the first time to gather exact data as to the number of
\nRomanian citizens living abroad and we’ll know how many polling stations we
\nneed to set up.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The number of MPs to represent Romanian citizens living abroad,
\nwhose upper limit is 6, has in fact been the major area of disagreement between
\nthe leftist majority and the Liberal opposition. The Liberal MP Victor Paul
\nDobre:<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Victor Paul Dobre: We believe the number of seats allocated to
\nthe diaspora is insufficient to represent the people living and working in
\nvarious countries in the world, in particular the European Union.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
The vote of the Romanians living abroad has entered public agenda in
\nthe aftermath of last autumn’s presidential elections. The bad management of
\nthe voting process abroad, when many people had to wait in never-ending queues,
\nhas generated massive public discontent and possibly even cost the Social
\nDemocrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta the presidential race. Under the new
\nelection law, the Permanent Electoral Authority will be responsible for holding
\nthe parliamentary elections and a computer system will be introduced to monitor
\nvoter turnout and prevent fraud. <\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Under Romanias new election law, as of 2016, Romanias Parliament will have 134 senators and 308 deputies, as well as 18 MPs representing the countrys ethnic minorities other than the Hungarian minority, and 6 MPs representing ethnic Romanian communitie<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":50848,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[29966,30739,29268],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-64503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-european-union","tag-minority","tag-parliament"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n