Constitution:
8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003
Legal system:
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is
now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two
candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009
and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu TARICEANU (since 29
December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
NASTASE 48.77%
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
(137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are
elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004
(next to be held 28 November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -
PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies
- percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM
48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on
the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians
in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; Humanist Party or PUR [Dan
VOICULESCU]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu
TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM
[Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian
NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania
or PDSR
Political pressure groups and leaders:
various human rights and professional associations
International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU
(applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer),
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008