Romanian presidential elections of 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2014

Romanian presidential elections of 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2014

By: Benedict S. Gombocz

Romanian general election, 1990 Held in Romania on 20

May 1990. Were first elections after

collapse of Communist government; also first public presidential elections.

Ion Iliescu of National Salvation Front (FSN) was elected President.

National Salvation Front won 263 of 395 seats in Chamber of Deputies and 91 of 118 seats in Senate.

Romanian general election, 1990 – Results

Candidate: Ion Iliescu Party: National Salvation

Front (FSN) Votes: 12,232,498 %: 85.1

Candidate: Radu Câmpeanu Party: National Liberal Party

(PNL) Votes: 1,529,188 %: 10.6

Candidate: Ion Raţiu Party: Christian-Democratic

National Peasants’ Party Votes: 617,007 %: 4.3

Invalid/blank votes Votes: 447,923 %: -

Total Votes: 14,826,616 %: 100

Registered voters/turnout Votes: 17,200,722 %: 86.2


September 1992; second round of presidential election was held 11 October.

Incumbent Ion Iliescu of Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN) was re-elected; his party rose as largest party in Parliament and won 117 of 341 seats in Chamber of Deputies and 49 of 143 seats in Senate.

Romanian general election, 1992 – Results - First round

Candidate: Ion Iliescu Party: Democratic National Salvation Front Votes: 5,633,465 %: 47.2

Candidate: Emil Constantinescu Party: Romanian Democratic Convention Votes: 3,717,006 %: 31.1


Total Votes: 12, 496, 430 %: 100


Romanian general election, 1992 – Results - Second round

Candidate: Ion Iliescu Party: Democratic National Salvation Front Votes: 7,393,429 %: 61.4



Total Votes: 12,153,810 %: 100


Romanian general election, 1996

Held in Romania on 3 November 1996; second round of presidential election was held 17 November.

Incumbent President Ion Iliescu of Social Democracy Party of Romania (PDSR) got most votes in first round, but was defeated by Emil Constantinescu of Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR) in second round.

With Constantinescu’s victory, CDR rose as largest party in Parliament; won 122 of 343 seats in Chamber of Deputies and 53 of 143 seats in Senate.

Romanian general election, 1996 – Results – First round

Candidate: Ion Iliescu Party: Social Democracy Party of Romania Votes: 4,081,093 %: 32.3

Emil Constantinescu Party: Romanian Democratic Convention Votes: 3,569,941 %: 28.2


Total Votes: 13,088,388 %: 100


Romanian general election, 1996 – Results – Second round




Total Votes: 13,078,883 %: 100



November 2000; second round of presidential election was held 10 December.

Ion Iliescu of PDSR won the presidential elections and was elected to a second, non-consecutive term.

PDSR rose as largest party in Parliament; won 155 of 345 seats in Chamber of Deputies and 65 of 140 seats in Senate.



Candidate: Corneliu Vadim Tudor Party: Greater Romania Party Votes: 3,178,293 %: 28.3


Total Votes: 11,559,458 %: 100




Candidate: Corneliu Vadim Tudor Party: Greater Romania Party Votes: 3,324,247 %: 33.2


Total Votes : 10,184,715 %: 100



November 2004. Second round of presidential

election was held 12 December between PM Adrian Năstase of governing Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSD) and Traian Băsescu of opposition Justice and Truth Alliance.

Băsescu was elected President by narrow majority of 51.2%.

After 2003 amendments to constitution which extended presidential term to five years, these were final joint elections to presidency and Parliament.


Candidate: Traian Băsescu Party: PNL-PD Votes: 3,545,236 %: 33.9

Candidate: Adrian Năstase Party: National Union PSD+PUR Votes: 4,278,864 %: 40.9


Total Votes: 10,791,215 %: 100



Candidate: Traian Băsescu Party: PNL-SD Votes : 5,126,794 %: 51.2

Candidate: Adrian Năstase Party: National Union PSD+PUR Votes: 4,881,520 %: 48.8


Total Votes : 10,111,559 %: 100


Romanian presidential election, 2009

First round was held in Romania on 22 November ; run-off round between incumbent Traian Băsescu of PD-L and Mircea Geoană of PSD was held 6 December 2009.

Even though exit polls were generally in favor of Geoană, authorities declared Băsescu narrow winner with 50.33% of votes.

However, opposition debates the results, citing a “high number of void ballots, modified voting protocols, and massive electoral tourism”, vowing to fight the result in constitutional court.

OSCE said the election “was held generally in line with OSCE commitments,” but also demanded the authorities to investigate speculation of fraud.

Summary of 22 November and 6 December 2009 Romanian presidential election results – First round

Candidate: Traian Băsescu Party: Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat Liberal) Votes: 3,153,640 %: 32.44

Candidate: Mircea Geoană Party: Social Democratic Party + Conservative Party (Alianţa

Electoralǎ Partidul Social Democrat + Partidul Conservator) Votes: 3,027,838 %: 31.15

Total valid votes Votes: 9,718,840 %: 100%

Summary of 22 November and 6 December 2009 Romanian presidential election results – Runoff

Candidate: Traian Băsescu Party: Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat Liberal) Votes: 5,275,808 %: 50.33

Candidate: Mircea Geoană Party: Social Democratic Party + Conservative Party (Alianţa

Electoralǎ Partidul Social Democrat + Partidul Conservator) Votes: 5,205,760 %: 49.66

Total valid votes Votes: 10,481,568 %: 100%

Romanian presidential election, 2014

Last presidential election was held in 2009, after which winner Traian Băsescu was sworn in for his second, extended five-year term on 21 December 2009; under the Constitution, he is ineligible for a third term.

Political alliance Social Liberal Union’s (USL) appointed candidate for Presidential office is National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Crin Antonescu, the favorite in all opinion polls, which so far grants him a clear front runner position with between 35-40% of the electorate’s vote with a continuing growing tendency.

News & Politics

Romanian presidential elections of 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2014