President Valeriu Steriu Founded March 2010 | Spokesperson Luminiţa Adam Dissolved July 2016 | |
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Senate leader Ilie Sârbu (part of PSD group) Chamber leader Marian Neacșu (part of PSD group) | ||
The National Union for the Progress of Romania (Romanian: Uniunea Națională pentru Progresul României, UNPR) was a political party of Romania. The party was formed in March 2010 by a group of independents who had broken away from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and National Liberal Party (PNL) to support President Traian Băsescu. However, tension began soon after the party's formation between former PSD and PNL members over the distribution of leadership positions and the political direction of the new party, with former PSD members dominating. The first party congress to elect its leaders was on 1st May 2010.
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On 12 July 2016, former President Traian Băsescu announced that UNPR would merge with his People's Movement Party on 20 July 2016.
History
In 2009, parliamentarians from PSD, PNL, and other organizations left their political parties to support president Traian Băsescu. They formed the parliamentary group of independents, led by senator Gabriel Oprea. Afterwards Oprea was named Minister of Administration and Interior.
In 2010, the majority of the group formed UNPR. On 1 May 2010, the new party elected its leaders, by congress. Allied with the PDL and UDMR, UNPR participated in government until 2012. At the first party congress, held in May 2010, Marian Sârbu was elected president. In 2011, the National Initiative Party (PIN) merged into the union. PIN's president, Lavinia Șandru, became UNPR's vice-president, but later resigned from the party citing its lack of support for her ecologist policies.
In 2012, the government led by Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu was dismissed by motion of censure and UNPR pass in opposition. On 28 May 2012, Sârbu stepped down as party leader. Following his resignation, Gabriel Oprea was elected president of UNPR. In the local election in 2012 UNPR ranked 5 on its list are elected 25 mayors, 13 county councilors, 1.005 town councilors and 1 county council president. After elections, UNPR formed with PSD, the Center-Left Alliance (ACS) being included in the Social Liberal Union.
Cristian Diaconescu, a founding member of UNPR, honorary president and former Minister of External Affairs, resigned from the union after the party changed sides and entered the Social Liberal Union. He is now an independent with close ties to the right-wing conservative president of Romania, Traian Băsescu, who appointed him as leader of the Presidential Chancellery in March 2012.
In the Romanian Parliamentary elections of December 2012, UNPR won in alliance with PSD, PNL an PC 10 seats in the House of Deputies and 5 seats in the Senate. Because the party lacks the necessary number of seats to form a distinct parliamentary group (12 deputies, 7 senators), their parliamentarians joined the group of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). They voted in favor of the government led by Prime Minister Victor Ponta. Therefore, Oprea became deputy prime-minister since 2013.
On 29 June 2015, the party absorbed the People's Party – Dan Diaconescu (PP-DD).
Doctrine
UNPR's doctrine is social-democratic with shades of progressivism. The union is against right wing policies, conservative and net-conservative,which has help dramatically. UNPR is a political force attached on national values. The union's self reported doctrine is "progressive left-wing" with social-democratic orientation. UNPR believes in a new political and economic order, based on consolidation of the market economy, in an "active state" that "protect his citizens and human rights". The union considers itself a progressive party. UNPR strongly supports the large wealth tax and fair taxes. In UNPR's program also is the decentralization of Romania. The union supports public order.
Structure
The president acts as the union's governing body; he represents the party in political conversations, in parliament and he has large powers in the union. He is helped by the standing bureau of the union.