1992 Romanian general election

1992 Romanian general election
← 1990 1996 →
	Presidential election
Turnout	76.29% (first round); 73.23% (second round)
Iliescu: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%	Constantinescu: 50–60% 60–70% 80–90%
President before election; Ion Iliescu; FDSN	Elected President ; Ion Iliescu; FDSN
	Parliamentary election
27 September 1992
	All 143 seats in the Senate ; All 341 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies
Senate
	The results for the Chamber of Deputies and for the Senate
Theodor Stolojan; FSN	Nicolae Văcăroiu; FDSN

General elections were held in Romania on 27 September 1992, with a second round of the presidential election on 11 October.^[1] They were the first held after the adoption of a permanent constitution via a referendum held the previous winter.

Incumbent President Ion Iliescu led the field in the first round, but was forced into a run off with Emil Constantinescu, candidate of the oppositional Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR). Constantinescu ran on a quicker transition to a market economy and purging remaining communist influence from the government. He benefited from a marked downturn in Iliescu's popularity tied to both high unemployment and concerns that Iliescu was wavering in his commitment to democracy.^[2]^[3]

Despite this, opinion polls ahead of the runoff suggested that Iliescu was favoured for a second full term. Not only was it believed that his 16-point first-round lead was too large for Constantinescu to overcome, but most of the minor candidates were expected to eventually offer their support to Iliescu in the second round.^[4] In the end, Iliescu was reelected with 61 percent of the vote. The 1992 Romanian presidential election was the second of its kind held in post-1989 Romania.

In the parliamentary election, Iliescu's Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN), which had split off from the National Salvation Front (FSN) earlier in the year, emerged as the largest party in Parliament, winning 117 of the 341 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 49 of the 143 seats in the Senate.

Presidential candidates

Participating candidates

Name	Lifespan	Public Administration Experience	Affiliation and endorsements	Alma mater and profession
Ion Iliescu	Born: 3 March 1930 (age 62) Oltenița, Călărași County	President of Romania (1989–election day) President of Water Surfaces Management Council (1979–1984) Member of the State Council (full member: 1979–1980, observative: 1974–1979) President of Iași County Council (1974–1979) Vice-President of Timiș County Council (1971–1974) Minister of Youth (1967–1971) Deputy (1957–1961, 1965–1973, 1975–1985) Former presidential election: 1990: 85.1% (winner)	Affiliation: FDSN	Energy Institute, Moscow State University (1954) fluid mechanics engineer, publishing house manager
Emil Constantinescu	Born: 19 November 1939 (age 52) Tighina (today: de jure, Republic of Moldova; de facto Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic)	Rector of University of Bucharest (1992–election day)	Affiliation: CDR	Faculty of Law, University of Bucharest (1960) Faculty of Geology, University of Bucharest (1966) geology professor
Gheorghe Funar	Born: 29 September 1949 (age 42) Sânnicolau Mare, Timiș County	Mayor of Cluj-Napoca (1992–election day)	Affiliation: PUNR	Faculty of Economics and Business Management, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca economist
Caius Traian Dragomir	Born: 16 July 1939 (age 53) Slatina, Olt County	State Secretary for Public Information with the Government of Romania (1991–election day)	Affiliation: none Endorsed by: FSN	Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest (1963) physicist poet
Mircea Druc	Born: 25 July 1941 (age 51) Pociumbăuți, Rîșcani District, Republic of Moldova	Prime Minister of the Moldavian SSR (1990–1991)	Affiliation: none Endorsed by: MER	Faculty of History and Philology, Moldova State University, Chișinău (1960) Faculty of Philology, Saint Petersburg State University (1964) administrative sciences professor
Ioan Mânzatu	Born: 11 August 1932 (age 60) Bobâlna, Cluj County	Vice-President of Romania (1990)	Affiliation: Republican Party	Faculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai University physics professor

Withdrawn candidates

Name	Lifespan	Public Administration Experience	Affiliation and endorsements	Alma mater and profession	Candidacy Announcement dates
Ioan Lup			Affiliation: PNȚCD		Intention: 25 June 1992^[5] Withdrawal: 25 June 1992^[5] Endorsed Ion Rațiu: 25 June 1992 Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: 27 June 1992
Nicu Stăncescu			Affiliation: Party of Democratic Unity		Withdrawal: 27 June 1992^[5] Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: 27 June 1992
Sergiu Cunescu	Born: 16 March 1923 (age 69), Bucharest Died: 16 March 2005		Affiliation: PSDR	Faculty of Electromagnetics, Politehnica University of Bucharest combustion engine engineer	Withdrawal: 27 June 1992^[5] Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: 27 June 1992
Nicolae Manolescu	Born: 27 November 1939 (age 52) Râmnicu Vâlcea, Vâlcea County		Affiliation: Civic Alliance Party	Faculty of Philology, University of Bucharest (1962) writer, book critic	Withdrawal: 27 June 1992^[5] Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: 27 June 1992
Ion Rațiu	Born: 6 June 1917 (age 75), Turda, Cluj County Died: 17 January 2000, London	Chancellor at Romanian Embassy in UK (1940)	Affiliation: PNȚCD	Faculty of Law, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (1938) Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge (1943) lawyer, economist, journalist	Intention: 25 June 1992^[5] Withdrawal: 27 June 1992^[6] Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: 27 June 1992

Results

President

Gheorghe Funar and Ioan Mânzatu openly endorsed Ion Iliescu in the second round.


Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
Candidate		Party	Votes	%	Votes	%
	Ion Iliescu	Democratic National Salvation Front	5,633,465	47.34	7,393,429	61.43
	Emil Constantinescu	Romanian Democratic Convention	3,717,006	31.24	4,641,207	38.57
	Gheorghe Funar	Romanian National Unity Party	1,294,388	10.88
	Caius-Traian Dragomir [ro]	National Salvation Front	564,655	4.75
	Ioan Mânzatu [ro]	Republican Party	362,485	3.05
	Mircea Druc	Independent	326,866	2.75
Total			11,898,865	100.00	12,034,636	100.00

Valid votes			11,898,865	95.22	12,034,636	99.02
Invalid/blank votes			597,565	4.78	119,174	0.98
Total votes			12,496,430	100.00	12,153,810	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			16,380,663	76.29	16,597,508	73.23
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Parliament

Senate



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Democratic National Salvation Front	3,091,221	28.31	49	New
	Romanian Democratic Convention^[a]	2,204,025	20.19	34	+22
	National Salvation Front	1,133,355	10.38	18	–73
	Romanian National Unity Party	887,597	8.13	14	+12
	Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania	830,193	7.60	12	0
	Greater Romania Party	421,042	3.86	6	New
	Democratic Agrarian Party of Romania	359,042	3.29	5	+5
	Socialist Party of Labour	347,658	3.18	5	New
	National Liberal Party	290,866	2.66	0	–10
	Ecological Movement of Romania	231,401	2.12	0	–1
	Republican Party	205,988	1.89	0	–
	National Democratic Solidarity	97,212	0.89	0	New
	Romanian Socialist Democratic Party	60,708	0.56	0	–
	New Liberal Party	57,213	0.52	0	New
	Party of Social Democratic Unity	51,987	0.48	0	New
	Liberal Union–Brătianu	48,222	0.44	0	–
	National Peasant Party	43,360	0.40	0	New
	Liberal Monarchist Party of Romania	42,561	0.39	0	New
	Party of the Roma	40,946	0.38	0	New
	Convention of Social Solidarity	34,491	0.32	0	New
	Democratic Cooperatist Party	30,938	0.28	0	New
	Party for the Honouring of the Heroes of the Revolution and National Salvation	27,513	0.25	0	–
	Republican Party of Romanian Unity	24,009	0.22	0	New
	Traditional Social Democratic Party	23,068	0.21	0	New
	National Party of Free Producers from Romania	20,442	0.19	0	New
	General Union of Roma in Romania	19,245	0.18	0	New
	Free Democratic Union of the Roma of Romania	18,528	0.17	0	–
	Christian Republican Party	17,332	0.16	0	–
	Democratic Romanian Front 16–20.XII.1989 Timișoara	16,665	0.15	0	New
	Romanian Humanist Party	16,484	0.15	0	New
	Movement for Romania	13,922	0.13	0	New
	Free Republican Party	13,401	0.12	0	New
	National Democratic Christian Party	13,356	0.12	0	New
	Independent National Peasant Christian Democratic Party	12,587	0.12	0	New
	Romanian Labour Party	12,344	0.11	0	New
	Romanian Renaissance and Independence Party	12,266	0.11	0	New
	Party of the Gypsies of Romania	10,811	0.10	0	–
	Party of Free Change	8,720	0.08	0	–
	Antitotalitarian Party 'Down the Nomenklatura'	8,446	0.08	0	New
	Independent Social Democratic Party	8,146	0.07	0	New
	National League of Expropriated of Romania	6,210	0.06	0	New
	Alliance of National Dignity	5,661	0.05	0	New
	United Democratic Convention	4,968	0.05	0	New
	Christian Democratic Union	4,738	0.04	0	–
	Party Democratic Future of the Motherland	4,175	0.04	0	–
	Romanian Party for the New Society	3,523	0.03	0	–
	Party of Labour	3,256	0.03	0	–
	Party of Social Justice (New Democracy) of the North West of Romania	3,247	0.03	0	–
	Party of Social Justice	3,050	0.03	0	–
	Social Democratic Party "Titel Petrescu	2,993	0.03	0	New
	Democratic Party of Labour	2,933	0.03	0	–
	Humanitarian Party of Peace	2,213	0.02	0	New
	Christian Democratic Party of the Revolution	1,743	0.02	0	New
	Party of the Democratic Union of Moldova	1,726	0.02	0	New
	Forum of Democracy and National Unity of Romania	1,413	0.01	0	–
	Romanian Popular Democratic Realistic Revolutionary Party	1,410	0.01	0	New
	Party of Heroes Fallen for the Freedom of the Alive Heroes, Affected by the Barbarian Bullets	913	0.01	0	New
	Party of Small Owners and Free Initiative of Romania	805	0.01	0	New
	Party of the National Right	648	0.01	0	New
	Independent Democratic Party	609	0.01	0	New
	Democratic Forum of Germans	558	0.01	0	–
	Party Movement 'Motherland's Shield'	493	0.00	0	New
	National Romanian Party	397	0.00	0	–
	Democratic Alliance of the Roma Party	258	0.00	0	New
	Conservative Humanistic Party	138	0.00	0	New
	Independents	52,327	0.48	0	–1
Total		10,917,716	100.00	143	+24

Valid votes		10,917,716	87.53
Invalid/blank votes		1,554,725	12.47
Total votes		12,472,441	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		16,380,663	76.14
Source: AEP

^ Of the 34 seats won by the CDR, the PNȚCD won 21, the PAC 7, the PNL-CD 4, the PNL-AT 1, and the PSDR 1.

Chamber of Deputies



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Democratic National Salvation Front	3,003,573	27.75	117	New
	Romanian Democratic Convention^[a]	2,170,289	20.05	82	+60
	National Salvation Front	1,101,425	10.17	43	–220
	Romanian National Unity Party	836,547	7.73	30	+21
	Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania	809,653	7.48	27	–2
	Greater Romania Party	422,136	3.90	16	New
	Socialist Party of Labour	328,283	3.03	13	New
	Democratic Agrarian Party of Romania	322,990	2.98	0	–9
	National Liberal Party	284,678	2.63	0	–29
	Ecological Movement of Romania	243,740	2.25	0	–8
	Republican Party	177,056	1.64	0	–
	Romanian Socialist Democratic Party	94,154	0.87	0	–5
	National-Democratic Solidarity	78,615	0.73	0	New
	New Liberal Party	63,098	0.58	0	New
	Liberal Union–Brătianu	54,673	0.51	0	–1
	Party of the Roma	52,170	0.48	1	New
	Party of Social-Democratic Unity	50,114	0.46	0	New
	National Peasant Party	48,031	0.44	0	New
	Liberal Monarchist Party of Romania	38,542	0.36	0	New
	Convention of Social Solidarity	35,286	0.33	0	New
	Democratic Forum of Germans	34,471	0.32	1	0
	Democratic Cooperatist Party	32,446	0.30	0	New
	Free Democratic Union of the Roma of Romania	31,060	0.29	0	0
	National Party of Free Producers from Romania	29,688	0.27	0	New
	Party for the Honouring of the Heroes of the Revolution and National Salvation	25,781	0.24	0	0
	Republican Party of Romanians Unity	23,447	0.22	0	New
	Romanian Humanist Party	22,908	0.21	0	New
	Traditional Social Democratic Party	21,800	0.20	0	New
	General Union of Roma in Romania	21,734	0.20	0	New
	Christian Republican Party	18,633	0.17	0	0
	Romanian Labour Party	16,439	0.15	0	New
	Community of the Lipovan Russians	14,861	0.14	1	0
	Independent National Peasant Christian Democratic Party	14,828	0.14	0	New
	Democratic Romanian Front 16–20.XII.1989 Timișoara	14,779	0.14	0	New
	Romanian Renaissance and Independence Party	13,573	0.13	0	New
	Free Republican Party	13,353	0.12	0	New
	Movement for Romania	12,708	0.12	0	New
	Party of Free Change	12,360	0.11	0	–1
	Independent Social Democratic Party	11,497	0.11	0	New
	National Democratic Christian Party	11,472	0.11	0	New
	Party of the Gypsies of Romania	9,679	0.09	0	0
	Hellenic Union of Romania	8,913	0.08	1	0
	United Democratic Convention	8,863	0.08	0	New
	Democratic Union of Turkish-Muslim Tatars	7,688	0.07	1	0
	Union of the Ukrainians of Romania	7,641	0.07	1	0
	Social Democratic Party "Constantin Titel Petrescu	7,171	0.07	0	New
	Union of Armenians of Romania	7,044	0.07	1	0
	National League of Expropriated of Romania	6,886	0.06	0	New
	Alliance of National Dignity	6,064	0.06	0	New
	Party of the National Right	5,622	0.05	0	New
	Christian Democratic Union	5,605	0.05	0	0
	Democratic Union of Serbs and Carasovenians of Romania	5,306	0.05	1	0
	Romanian Party for the New Society	5,250	0.05	0	0
	Independent Democratic Party	5,140	0.05	0	New
	Democratic Union of Slovaks and Czechs of Romania	4,662	0.04	1	0
	Antitotalitarian Party 'Down with the Nomenklatura'	4,623	0.04	0	New
	Party Democratic Future of the Motherland	4,322	0.04	0	0
	Italian Community of Romania	4,111	0.04	1	New
	Democratic Party of Labour	3,888	0.04	0	–1
	Forum of Democracy and National Unity of Romania	3,180	0.03	0	0
	Party of Social Justice (New Democracy) of the North West of Romania	3,063	0.03	0	0
	Union of Poles of Romania	2,987	0.03	1	0
	Party 'Will of the People'	2,704	0.02	0	New
	Party of Justice and Social Democracy of Romania	2,687	0.02	0	New
	Party of Labour	2,623	0.02	0	0
	Turkish Muslim Democratic Union of Romania	2,569	0.02	1	New
	Party of Social Justice	2,525	0.02	0	0
	Party of the Democratic Union of Moldova	2,358	0.02	0	New
	National Romanian Party	2,201	0.02	0	0
	Bulgarian Union of Banat–Romania	1,886	0.02	1	0
	National Movement 'Motherland's Shield' Party	1,738	0.02	0	New
	Movement for European Integration	1,367	0.01	0	New
	Humanitarian Party of Peace	1,173	0.01	0	New
	Romanian Popular Democratic Realistic Revolutionary Party	1,126	0.01	0	New
	Christian Democratic Party of the Revolution	1,075	0.01	0	New
	Party of Small Owners and Free Initiative of Romania	651	0.01	0	New
	Union of Croats of Romania	217	0.00	0	New
	Conservative Humanistic Party	101	0.00	0	New
	'Republican Tribune' Party	48	0.00	0	New
	Independents	57,855	0.53	0	–1
Total		10,825,503	100.00	341	–54

Valid votes		10,825,503	86.80
Invalid/blank votes		1,645,820	13.20
Total votes		12,471,323	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		16,380,663	76.13
Source: AEP

^ Of the 82 seats won by the CDR, the PNȚCD won 41, the PAC 13, the PNL-AT 11, the PSDR 10, the PER 4, and the PNL-CD 3.

References

^ Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. Baden-Baden, Germany: Nomos. p. 1591. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7. OCLC 617565273.
^ "Romanians Vote but Runoff Is Expected". The New York Times. 28 September 1992.
^ "Romanian Vote Inconclusive; Runoff Planned Next Sunday". The New York Times. 6 October 1992.
^ "President Favored In Romanian Runoff Today". The New York Times. 11 October 1992.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Pădurean, Claudiu (18 January 2017). "Marea greșeală a lui Corneliu Coposu: A împiedicat candidatura lui Ion Rațiu la Președinția României, din partea Convenției" [The big mistake of Corneliu Coposu: He obstructed Ion Rațiu's candidacy for the Presidency of Romania, from the Convention]. România Liberă (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
^ Pop, Alina (15 January 2015). "Trădare sau democrație? Secretele refuielilor politice dintre foștii mari lideri țărăniști și bunii prieteni Ion Rațiu și Corneliu Coposu" [Treason or democracy? The secrets of the political feuds between the former great peasant leaders and good friends Ion Rațiu and Corneliu Coposu]. Adevărul (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

[7] Of the 34 seats won by the CDR, the PNȚCD won 21, the PAC 7, the PNL-CD 4, the PNL-AT 1, and the PSDR 1.

[8] Of the 82 seats won by the CDR, the PNȚCD won 41, the PAC 13, the PNL-AT 11, the PSDR 10, the PER 4, and the PNL-CD 3.

[NS-1] Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. Baden-Baden, Germany: Nomos. p. 1591. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7. OCLC 617565273.

[2] "Romanians Vote but Runoff Is Expected". The New York Times. 28 September 1992.

[3] "Romanian Vote Inconclusive; Runoff Planned Next Sunday". The New York Times. 6 October 1992.

[4] "President Favored In Romanian Runoff Today". The New York Times. 11 October 1992.

[RL-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Pădurean, Claudiu (18 January 2017). "Marea greșeală a lui Corneliu Coposu: A împiedicat candidatura lui Ion Rațiu la Președinția României, din partea Convenției" [The big mistake of Corneliu Coposu: He obstructed Ion Rațiu's candidacy for the Presidency of Romania, from the Convention]. România Liberă (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

[6] Pop, Alina (15 January 2015). "Trădare sau democrație? Secretele refuielilor politice dintre foștii mari lideri țărăniști și bunii prieteni Ion Rațiu și Corneliu Coposu" [Treason or democracy? The secrets of the political feuds between the former great peasant leaders and good friends Ion Rațiu and Corneliu Coposu]. Adevărul (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

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v t e Elections and referendums in Romania
Parliamentary elections	1864 1866 (Apr) 1866 (Nov) 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1883 1884 1888 (Jan) 1888 (Oct) 1891 1892 1895 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1912 1914 1918 1919 1920 1922 1926 1927 1928 1931 1932 1933 1937 1939 1946 1948 1952 1957 1961 1965 1969 1975 1980 1985 1990 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Presidential elections	1990 1992 1996 2000 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024–25
Local elections	1864 1866 1869 1870 1871 1874 1876 1879 1883 1884 1888 1890 1891 1895 1899 1901 1905 1907 1911 1912 1914 1926 1930 1936 1937 1938 1950 1953 1956 1958 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1975 1977 1980 1982 1985 1987 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 2028
European elections	2007 2009 2014 2019 2024 2029
Other elections	Bessarabia: 1917 Moldavia: 1832 1837 1842 1847 1857 (Jul) 1857 (Sep) 1858 1860 Transylvania: 1918 Wallachia: 1831 1836 1841 1842 1846 1857 1859 1860 1861
Referendums	1864 1866 1938 1941 (Mar) 1941 (Nov) 1986 1991 2003 2007 (May) 2007 (Nov) 2009 2012 2018 2019

v t e Ion Iliescu
2nd President of Romania Born (1930-03-03)3 March 1930
Political activities	President of Iași County Council (1974–1979) President of the National Salvation Front (1990–1992) President of Romania (1990–1996; 2000–2004) Honorary President of the Social Democratic Party (2001–present)
Parties	Communist Party (1953–1984) National Salvation Front (1990–1992) Democratic National Salvation Front (1992–1993) Party of Social Democracy in Romania (1993–2001) Social Democratic Party (2001–present)
Elections and referendums	1990 general election 1991 constitutional referendum 1992 general election 1996 general election 2000 general election 2003 constitutional referendum
Events	Mineriads January 1990 February 1990 June 1990 September 1991 Ethnic clashes of Târgu Mureș (1990) Golaniad (1990) Bridge of Flowers (1990) 1990 Vrancea earthquakes Caritas (1992–1994) 1993 Hădăreni riots Snagov Declaration 2002 floods 2002–2007 property bubble
← Nicolae Ceaușescu Emil Constantinescu → ← Emil Constantinescu Traian Băsescu →