European Parliament election, 2019 (Romania)

National Liberal Party

Three days after the 2014 election, on 28 May 2014, National Liberal Party president Crin Antonescu announced that the party would change European affiliation from ALDE to EPP, and it has started negotiations for the merger with the Democratic Liberal Party. The newly created party would still be called National Liberal Party, and be a member of the EPP. Democratic Liberal Party president Vasile Blaga later that day confirmed the merger of the two parties. MEP Norica Nicolai, first candidate on the National Liberal Party list refused to join the European People's Party group, and continued to stay a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group^[2]. After the 2014 presidential election, MEP Renate Weber, second candidate on the National Liberal Party list, resigned the European People's Party group, and joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group. After the completion of the merger of the two parties, the two MEPs were given an ultimatum to join the European People's Party group or face party exclusion^[3]. They failed to fulfill the request and thus were expelled from the National Liberal Party, and currently stand with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group. Later, MEP Norica Nicolai joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats^[4].

In late August 2017, MEP Ramona Mănescu, third candidate on the National Liberal Party list, resigned the party^[5], but continued to stand with the European People's Party group.

In May 2018, People's Movement Party MEP Siegfried Mureșan, spokesman of the European People's Party, announced he is leaving the party to join the National Liberal Party^[6].

Democratic Liberal Party

Three days after the 2014 election, on 28 May 2014, Democratic Liberal Party president Vasile Blaga confirmed the announcement made by National Liberal Party president Crin Antonescu, that the two parties were to merge into a new party, that would retain the name of the latter and international affiliation of the former. To express discontent with this decision, and the lack of a PDL candidate to the presidential election, MEP Monica Macovei, second candidate on the Democratic Liberal Party list resigned the party in September 2014, and competed in the 2014 presidential election as an independent^[7][8][9]. Following the presidential election, she joined, as an independent politician, the European Conservatives and Reformists.

People's Movement Party

In September 2014, following some declarations, Cristian Preda, first candidate on the People's Movement Party list, was expelled from the party^{[10][11][12][13]}. He continued to stand in the European People's Party group.

In 2016, the People's Movement Party merged with (absorbed) the National Union for the Progress of Romania, but the later's MEPs did not join the People's Movement Party.

In May 2018, MEP Siegfried Mureșan, spokesman of the European People's Party, announced he is leaving the People's Movement Party, to join the National Liberal Party^[14]. As a result, the People's Movement Party lost both its MEPs.

Conservative Party

The Conservative Party ran with the National Union for the Progress of Romania on a common list headed by the Social Democratic Party at the previous election. This electoral alliance was supposed to be called "Social Democratic Union" ("Uniunea Social Democrată"), but, due to the Romanian legislation (this name was taken by a 1990s alliance between the Democratic Party and Romanian Social Democratic Party), they ran as "PSD-UNPR-PC". In 2015, the party merged with the Liberal Reformist Party, to form the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats^[15][16] Members unpleased with this decision, headed by MEP Maria Grapini (first Conservative Party candidate, and fifth on the PSD-UNPR-PC list), founded a new party, Humanist Power Party (Social-Liberal) Romanian: Partidul Puterii Umaniste (Social-Liberal)^[17]. She continues to stand with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, as a member of PPU-SL. Laurențiu Rebega, second Conservative Party candidate and fourteenth on the PSD-UNPR-PC list, stands as an independent politician in the Non-Inscrits group.

National Union for the Progress of Romania

The National Union for the Progress of Romania ran with the Conservative Party on a common list headed by the Social Democratic Party at the previous election. This electoral alliance was supposed to be called "Social Democratic Union" ("Uniunea Social Democrată"), but, due to the Romanian legislation (this name was taken by a 1990s alliance between the Democratic Party and Romanian Social Democratic Party), they ran as "PSD-UNPR-PC". In 2016, the National Union for the Progress of Romania merged with (was absorbed by) the People's Movement Party, but the former's MEPs did not join the People's Movement Party. Both its two candidates continue to stand with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats: Damian Drăghici (first National Union for the Progress of Romania candidate and sixth on the "PSD-UNPR-PC" list) as an independent member, and Doru Frunzulică (second National Union for the Progress of Romania candidate and thirteenth on the "PSD-UNPR-PC" list) joined the Social Democratic Party.