Liberal Democratic Party (Romania)

Infobox Romanian Former Political Party
party_name = Partidul Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democratic Party
party_
party_wikicolourid = PD
leader = Theodor Stolojan
senate = "none"
chamber = "none"
foundation = December 2006
dissolution = 2008
dissolution_method = merging into the PD-L
ideology = Classical liberalism
international = "none"
european = "none"
ep-group = EPP-ED
colours = Orange and blue
headquarters = Calea Victoriei 100, et.1, ap.16
Sector 1
Bucharest
website = [http://www.platformaliberala.ro/ www.platformaliberala.ro]

The Liberal Democratic Party ( _ro. Partidul Liberal Democrat, or PLD) was a political party in Romania, formed in December 2006 as a breakaway group from the National Liberal Party (PNL). The Liberal Democratic Party was headed by Theodor Stolojan, a former PNL member, and included a series of prominent former Liberals, such as Gheorghe Flutur, Mona Muscă and Valeriu Stoica, who were opposed to the leadership of the PNL, headed by Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. The Liberal Democrats also advocated a closer co-operation with the Democratic Party (PD). The PNL and the PD were part of the Justice and Truth governing alliance until Tăriceanu dismissed the PD ministers in April 2007 and formed a minority government with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania, marking the end of the alliance. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/02/europe/EU-POL-Romania-New-Cabinet.php, "Romania's prime minister names new Cabinet of minority government", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), April 2, 2007]

The members of the Liberal Democrats had initially grouped themselves in an informal organisation known as The Liberal Platform ("Platforma Liberală"). The slogan of the PLD was "Progress, Liberty, Dignity". [ [http://www.evz.ro/article.php?artid=285925 Sigla à la PD, statut de PNL] , "Evenimentul Zilei", December 28, 2006]

It merged with the Democratic Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party in January 2008. [ [http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/152563.html Romanian parties that support president to merge : Europe World ] ] The merger was approved in a party congress on 2007-12-15 with 933 in favour, six abstentions and one against. [ [http://www.mediafax.ro/engleza/romania-s-liberal-democrats-vote-merger-with-democrats.html?6966;2306830 Romania’s Liberal Democrats Vote Merger With Democrats - Engleza - Mediafax ] ]

Policy

The Liberal Democratic Party tended to be more conservative than the National Liberal Party which it split off from POV-statement|date=September 2008. It intended to join the European People's Party at EU level. In a televised show however, Vasile Blaga put an end to this rumor, stating PD will go alone at the European pariiamentary elections. In January 2008, however, the party merged with the Democratic Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party, which became a member of the European People's Party.

On January 22, 2007, the vice-president of the PLD, Gheorghe Flutur, stated that the new party will forge a close relationship with the Romanian Orthodox Church, the country's largest religious denomination. Flutur declared that, "We believe that we must fight for the protection of [our] national identity, especially now, when Romania has entered the European Union. Here, we consider that we must have a very good relationship with the institution of the [Romanian Orthodox] Church and I think that [the church] must play a much more important role in the promotion of our traditions and customs." [ [http://www.gandul.info/articol_27577/vicepresedintele_pld_a_luat_calea_bisericii.html Vicepresedintele PLD a luat calea Bisericii] ("The Vice-President of the PLD has gone the Church's way"), "Gândul", January 22, 2007]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.platformaliberala.ro/ Official site of the Liberal Platform]