Liberal Party (Moldova)

Liberal Party (Romanian: Partidul Liberal, PL) is a conservative-liberal[2] political party in Moldova. The president of the party is the former Mayor of Chișinău, Dorin Chirtoacă.

Liberal Party

Partidul Liberal
AbbreviationPL
PresidentDorin Chirtoacă
Secretary-GeneralIon Apostol
Founded5 September 1993
HeadquartersChișinău, Moldova
Youth wingYoung Liberals
Women's wingLiberal Women's Organisation
Membership (2018)18,989
IdeologyLiberalism[1]
Conservative liberalism[2]
Moldovan–Romanian
unionism
Pro-Europeanism
Political positionCentre-right
Regional affiliationLiberal South East European Network
European affiliationAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (observer)
International affiliationNone
ColoursLight blue, Yellow
Parliament
0 / 101
District Presidents
0 / 32
Website
pl.md

History

The party was established under the name Party of Reform (Partidul Reformei) in 1993 by Anatol Șalaru.[3] In 1997 Mihai Ghimpu was elected chairman. Until April 2005, the party had a Christian-democratic electoral platform.[4] Competing in the 1994, 1998 and 2001 parliamentary elections, the Party of Reform failed to enter parliament, as its results of 2.36%, 0.54% and 0.67%, respectively, failed to meet the electoral threshold of 5%.

Electoral Success

At the second party congress, held on 24 April 2005, party members adopted the new name Liberal Party (Partidul Liberal),[3] along with a new logo and programme, which presented a liberal political platform. Mihai Ghimpu was elected president of the party. The party competed in the April 2009 parliamentary election, obtaining 13.13% of the vote and of 15 seats in parliament. At the parliamentary election of 2009 in July, the popular vote rose to 14.68%, again winning 15 seats.

As a consequence of the second parliamentary election of 2009, the party signed a coalition agreement with the Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM), the Democratic Party (PDM) and Our Moldova Alliance (AMN), constituting the Alliance for European Integration.[5] The party was included in the First Filat Cabinet. At the 2010 parliamentary election, the party obtained 9.96% of the vote and 12 seats in parliament.[3] The party remained in the Second Filat Cabinet. The European Action Movement (MAE) merged into the party in March, 2011.[6]

Under the leadership of Ghimpu, the party has altered its former Christian democratic orientation. On 25 January 2009, a Conference for the constitution of a Women's wing for the Liberal Party the "Liberal Women's Organisation" was held. The party also formed a youth wing the "Young Liberals". The party has joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) as an observer member.

At the 2014 parliamentary election, the Liberal Party received 9.7% of the vote, winning 13 seats. At the 2019 parliamentary election, the PL received 1.25% of the vote, losing its representation in parliament.

Internal split

In February 2013 the party suffered an internal split. On 12 April 2013 the Liberal Party Reform Council was launched, with Ion Hadârcă as leader. The members of this Council were called "Liberal Reformers" by the media. The internal split became permanent when a separate Liberal Reformist Party (PLR) joined the Pro-European Coalition, formed after the dissolution of the Alliance for European Integration, remaining on in the Leancă Cabinet after the Liberal Party left the government.

Electoral results

Parliament
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats +/– Government
1994 41,980 2.36
0 / 101
 Extra-parliamentary opposition
1998 8,844 0.54
0 / 101
 Extra-parliamentary opposition
2001 10,686[lower-alpha 1] 0.67[lower-alpha 1]
0 / 101
 Extra-parliamentary opposition
2005 Did not participate Extra-parliamentary opposition
2009 (April) 201,879 13.13
15 / 101
 15 Coalition
2009 (July) 232,108 14.68
15 / 101
 Coalition
2010 171,445 9.96
12 / 101
 3 Coalition
2014 154,507 9.67
13 / 101
 1 Coalition
2019 17,743 1.25
0 / 101
 13 Extra-parliamentary opposition
  1. Result of the electoral alliance "Faith and Justice".

In the 2007 local elections the party gained 18.31% in Chișinău municipality and 11 seats on the Chișinău Municipal Council. Its vice-president, Dorin Chirtoacă, became Mayor.

Notable members
Mihai Ghimpu and Dorin Chirtoacă
Anatol Șalaru

References
  1. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Moldova". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  2. "Moldova". European Forum. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  3. Tom Lansford (8 April 2014). Political Handbook of the World 2014. SAGE Publications. p. 949. ISBN 978-1-4833-3327-4.
  4. "Partidul Liberal (PL) / partide.md". Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  5. Julian Bernauer; Daniel Bochsler; Rogers Brubaker; Magdalena Dembinska; Fulya Memisoglu; Karolina Prasad; Antoine Roger; Edina Szöcsik; Hanna Vasilevich; Doris Wydra; Christina Isabel Zuber (3 March 2014). New Nation-States and National Minorities. ECPR Press. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-907301-86-5.
  6. "Congresul V extraordinar al Mişcării Acţiunea Europeană / partide.md". Retrieved 25 February 2015.
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