Romanian voting system referendum, 2007
Encyclopedia
A referendum
on changing the voting system
to single-member voting
was held in Romania
on 25 November 2007, on the same date as the election to the European Parliament
. The referendum was called by President
Traian Băsescu
on 23 October 2007 when the Parliament of Romania
failed to meet a deadline set by him to pass these changes.
The precise question was:
While the system proposed by the president would mirror the French
two-round
electoral system, Prime Minister
Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
has proposed a mixed member proportional system based on the German
electoral system. The proposed law would also reduce the number of MPs by about 20 per cent.
While the Greater Romania Party
challenged the legality of holding the referendum at the same time as the EP election, the Constitutional Court of Romania
decided on 2007-11-07 that there was nothing wrong with this.
instead.
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on changing the voting system
Voting system
A voting system or electoral system is a method by which voters make a choice between options, often in an election or on a policy referendum....
to single-member voting
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
was held in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
on 25 November 2007, on the same date as the election to the European Parliament
European Parliament election, 2007 (Romania)
Romania elected its members of the European Parliament for the first time on 25 November 2007; the election was initially scheduled for 13 May, but the PM postponed it for domestic political reasons...
. The referendum was called by President
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
Traian Băsescu
Traian Basescu
Traian Băsescu is the current President of Romania. After serving as the mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004, he was elected president in the Romanian Presidential Elections of 2004 and inaugurated on December 20, 2004...
on 23 October 2007 when the Parliament of Romania
Parliament of Romania
The Parliament of Romania is made up of two chambers:*The Chamber of Deputies*The SenatePrior to the modifications of the Constitution in 2003, the two houses had identical attributes. A text of a law had to be approved by both houses...
failed to meet a deadline set by him to pass these changes.
The precise question was:
While the system proposed by the president would mirror the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
two-round
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
electoral system, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Romania
The Prime Minister of Romania is the head of the Government of Romania. Initially, the office was styled President of the Council of Ministers , when the term "Government" included more than the Cabinet, and the Cabinet was called The Council of Ministers...
Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Calin Popescu-Tariceanu
Călin Constantin Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu is a Romanian politician. He was the Prime Minister of Romania between 29 December 2004 and 22 December 2008...
has proposed a mixed member proportional system based on the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
electoral system. The proposed law would also reduce the number of MPs by about 20 per cent.
While the Greater Romania Party
Greater Romania Party
The Greater Romania Party is a Romanian radical right-wing, ultra-nationalist political party, led by Corneliu Vadim Tudor. The party is sometimes referred to in English as the Great Romania Party....
challenged the legality of holding the referendum at the same time as the EP election, the Constitutional Court of Romania
Constitutional Court of Romania
The Constitutional Court of Romania is the institution which rules on whether the laws, decrees or other bills enacted by Romanian authorities are in conformity with the Constitution....
decided on 2007-11-07 that there was nothing wrong with this.
Results
Although 81% of voters were in favour of the proposal, the turnout being just 26% the referendum is invalid. Thus, the MMP proposal of PM Tăriceanu was used at the next electionsRomanian legislative election, 2008
Legislative elections were held in Romania on November 30, 2008. The Democratic Liberal Party won most seats in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, although the alliance headed by the Social Democratic Party won a fractionally higher vote share.-Electoral System:President Traian Băsescu...
instead.