source: Romanian Parliament site (1998)
The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are elected in constituencies, by universal, equal, direct, secret, and freely expressed suffrage, on the basis of a list system and independent candidatures, according to the principle of proportional representation. The option for an identical election system of the two Chambers of Parliament confers them the same legitimacy, as both of them are the expression of the will of the same electoral body.
The two Chambers have different numbers of members: the Chamber of Deputies is composed of 341 Deputies, and the Senate, of 143 Senators. This differentiation is possible owing to the legal provision of a representation norm differing from one Chamber to the other. Thus, for the election of the Chamber of Deputies the representation norm is of one Deputy to 70,000 inhabitants, and for the election of the Senate, of one Senator to 160,000 inhabitants.
The number of Deputies and Senators to be elected in each constituency is determined on the basis of the representation norm, by relating the number of inhabitants in each constituency to the representation norm. In a constituency, the number of Deputies cannot be less than 4, and that of Senators, less than 2. The number of inhabitants taken into account is that existing on July 1 of the previous year, published in the Statistical Year-Book of Romania. If, at least 5 months before the election date, a general census has taken place, the number of inhabitants taken into account is that resulting from the census.
The Constitution of Romania and the Election Law grant to legally constituted organizations of citizens belonging to national minorities, in case these could not obtain in election at least one Deputy or Senator mandate, the "right" to a Deputy mandate, if they have obtained throughout the country a number of votes equal to at least 5 per cent out of the average number of votes validly expressed throughout the country for the election of one Deputy.
The mandates assigned, under the conditions of the Election Law, to organizations of citizens belonging to national minorities are added to the Deputy mandates resulted from the representation norm.
(...)
The Election Law establishes the universal character of the permanent lists, since they include both citizens having their domicile in the country and those having their domicile abroad. The latter are recorded in the permanent lists of the locality in which they were born, or in which they had their domicile in the country, if they so request from the Diplomatic Mission of Romania in the country where they reside, or directly from the local council.
At the moment, in Romania, national minorities are represented in the Chamber of Deputies by their own parliamentary group.
Parliamentary group of National Minorities contains the following representative organizations:
1. The "Brotstvo" Community of the Bulgarians of Romania
2. The "Lippovou-Russians" Community of Romania
3. The Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania
4. The Democratic Forum of Germans of Romania
5. The Romany (Gypsy) Party;
6. The Cultural Union of Albanians of Romania;
7. The Democratic Union of the Serbians and Carashovenians of Romania
8. The Democratic Union of the Slovaks and Czech of Romania
9. The Democratic Turkish of Romania
10. The Democratic Union of the Turk-Moslem Tartars of Romania
11. The Hellenic Union of Romania
12. The Union of the Ukrainians of Romania
13. The Union of the Armenians of Romania
14. The "Dom Polski" Union of the Polish of Romania
15. The "Socola - Iasi" Community of the Italians of Romania
As regards Hungarian Minority, this is a more numerous minority. Hungarian Minority has its own party (U.D.M.R.), which is a part of Democratic Convention - the coalition which won the election in 1996 - and has its own parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies.
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Because I think that this answer does not cover all your questions, I try to add that every legal organization of a national minority can run for the elections. Based on the vote results, Central Electoral Bureau decides which minorities will be represented in the Chamber of Deputies, and by which organizations/deputies.
deputy manager Information Technology Dept. Chamber of Deputies Parliament of Romania
Article 1 - Romanian State
(1) Romania is a sovereign, independent, unitary and indivisible National State.
(2) The form of government of the Romanian State is a Republic.
(3) Romania is a democratic and social State governed by the rule of law, in which human dignity, the citizens' rights and freedoms, the free development of human personality, justice and political pluralism represent supreme values and shall be guaranteed.
Article 2 - Sovereignty
(1) National sovereignty resides with the Romanian people, who shall exercise it through its representative bodies and by referendum.
(2) No group or person may exercise sovereignty in one's own name.
Article 3 - Territory
(1) The territory of Romania is inalienable.
(2) The frontiers of the Country are sanctioned by an organic law, under observance of the principles and other generally recognized regulations of international law.
(3) The territory is organized administratively into communes, towns and counties. Some towns are declared municipalities, according to the provisions of the law.
(4) No foreign populations may be displaced or colonized in the territory of the Romanian State.
Article 4 - Unity of the people and equality among citizens
(1) The State foundation is laid on the unity of the Romanian people.
(2) Romania is the common and indivisible homeland of all its citizens, without any discrimination on account of race, nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion, sex, opinion, political adherence, property or social origin.
Article 5 - Citizenship
(1) Romanian citizenship can be acquired, retained or lost as provided for by the organic law.
(2) Romanian citizenship cannot be withdrawn if acquired by birth.
Article 6 - Right to identity
(1) The State recognizes and guarantees the right of persons belonging to national minorities, to the preservation, development and expression of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity.
(2) The protecting measures taken by the Romanian State for the preservation, development and expression of identity of the persons belonging to national minorities shall conform to the principles of equality and non-discrimination in relation to the other Romanian citizens.
Article 7 - Romanians living abroad
The State shall support the strengthening of links with the Romanians living abroad and shall act accordingly for the preservation, development and expression of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity, under observance of the legislation of the State of which they are citizens.
Article 59 - Election of the Chambers
(1) The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate shall be elected by universal, equal, direct, secret and free suffrage, in accordance with the electoral law.
(2) Organizations of citizens belonging to national minorities, which fail to obtain the number of votes for representation in Parliament, have the right to one Deputy seat each, under the terms of the electoral law. Citizens of a national minority are entitled to be represented by one organization only.
(3) The number of Deputies and Senators shall be established by the electoral law, in proportion to the population of Romania.
Union démocratique des Magyars de Roumanie
législature |
Chambre |
Sénat |
1990-1992 |
29 |
11 |
1992-1996 |
27 |
11 |
1996-2000 |
25 |
11 |
2000-2004 |
26 |
12 |
2004- |
22 |
10 |
Suffrage Universel, un site indépendant
consacré à la participation politique des minorités
ethnonationales et religieuses
accueil -
droit de vote des
étrangers- partis
ethniques - sièges réservés,
quotas
Allemagne -
Belgique -
Danemark -
Etats-Unis -
France -
Pays-Bas -
Royaume-Uni