Background

Background note on the first-ever European elections in Romania - Sunday 25 November 2007 - 35 MEPs elected

European citizenship - 29-11-2007 - 13:56

This website aims to inform you about the European elections in Romania. You can find a message from European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering following the elections, information about the European Parliament's achievements during its current mandate (2004-2009) and the future responsibilities and the role of the elected MEPs. This website also includes information about the electoral law and other details concerning the results of the elections.

The results of the European elections in Romania are as follows of 25 November are as follows:

Turnout: 29.46 per cent

Registered voters: 18 224 597

Persons who voted: 5 370 171

List of future Romanian MEPs:

Democrat Party (PD) - 13 seats

1. Mr.Sorin Frunzăverde (age 47 - Engineer)

2. Mrs.Roberta Anastase (age 31 - Sociologist)

3. Mr.Petru Filip (age 52- Engineer)

4. Mrs.Monica Iacob Ridzi (age 30 - Economist, lawyer)

5. Mr.Marian Jean Marinescu (age 55 - Engineer)

6. Mrs.Maria Petre (age 56 - Economist)

7. Mr.Marian Zlotea (age 36 - Economist)

8. Mr.Dragoş David (age 39 - Engineer)

9. Mrs.Mihaela Popa (age 45 - Professor)

10. Mr.Constantin Dumitriu (age 36 - Lawyer)

11. Mrs.Nicodim Bulzesc (age 55 - Engineer)

12. Mr.Sebastian Bodu (age 37 - Lawyer)

Socialist Party (PSD) - 10 seats

14. Mr.Titus Corlăţean (age 39 - Lawyer)

15. Mr.Adrian Severin (age 53 - Lawyer)

16. Mrs.Rovana Plumb (age 47 - Doctor Engineer)

17.Mrs.Daciana Sârbu (age 30 - Lawyer)

18. Mr.Cătălin Nechifor (age 33 - Engineer)

19.Mrs.Silvia Adriana Ţicău (age 37 - Engineer)

20.Mr.Ioan Mircea Paşcu (age 58 - Economist)

21.Mrs.Gabriela Creţu (age 42 - Professor)

22.Mrs.Corina Creţu (...)

23.Mr.Victor Boştinaru (...)

Liberal Party (PNL) - 6 seats

24.Mrs.Renate Weber (age 52 - Lawyer)

25.Mr.Daniel Dăianu (age 55 - Economist)

26.Mrs.Adina Vălean (age 39 - Mathematician)

27.Mr.Cristian Buşoi (age 29 - Doctor)

28.Mrs.Ramona Mănescu (age 35 - Attorney)

29.Mr.Magor Csibi (age 27 - Politologist)

Democrat Liberal Party (PLD - new) - 3 seats

30.Mr.Theodor Stolojan (age 64 - Economist)

31.Mr.Dumitru Oprea (age age 55 - Economist)

32.Mr.Nicolae Vlad-Popa (...)

Democrat Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) - 2 seats

33. Mr.Gyorgy Frunda (age 56 - Lawyer)

34.Mr.Csaba Sogor (age 43 - reformed pastor)

Independent candidate - 1 seat

35.Mr.Laszlo Tokes (age 55 - Bishop of the Reformed Church)

The average age of the Romanian representatives in the European Parliament is 43. The oldest - Theodor Stolojan (64 years). The youngest - Csibi Magor-Imre (27 years). The 35 new Romanian MEPs will be welcomed in Strasbourg during the Parliament's plenary session (10-13 December 2007)

President Pöttering welcomes new members of the European Parliament from Romania
What does a Member of the European Parliament do?
So, just what is an EP political group?
What will MEPs be deciding until the end of the legislature in June 2009? Key legislation in course
An overview of the European Parliament in action at the midway point of the legislature July 2004-December 2006
Electoral Calendar and Rules
Parliament's role in the EU accession of Bulgaria and Romania

REF.: 20070926BKG10840

President Pöttering welcomes new members of the European Parliament from Romania

Following the first European election in Romania, the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering stated:

"We have witnessed an important day for Romania. On 1st January it became a member of the European Union. Yesterday the Romanian citizens have elected for the first time their representatives in the European Parliament. After the fall of communism Romania is thereby fully integrated again in the European family.

The 35 Romanian members will be the voice of the Romanian citizens and will represent their interests in the European Parliament. As President of the European Parliament, I warmly welcome the new colleagues and wish them every success in the coming one-and-a-half year of the mandate.

This is also a good opportunity to thank all the members of the Romanian parliament who since September 2005 were observer members of the European Parliament and since 1st January this year, full members. I thank them for their hard work and dedication to the European project.

I hope that the new members of the Parliament will soon be integrated in full in the work of the House and be able to contribute with their experience and knowledge for the benefit of their voters and the European project.

The President of Parliament regretted the low turn-out and further said:" I feel that their positive contribution of the Romanian members will help improve voter participation in future elections".

* * *

President Pöttering visited Romania on 15-16 October on his official trip. In Bucharest he met with leading political personalities and civil society. In an address to the two chambers of the Romanian parliament he spoke about the importance of decisions taken by the European Parliament for the citizens of member states. The President also visited Sibiu the 2007 European Capital of Culture.

Further information :

Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament - website

Official Visit of President Pöttering to Romania 15 and 16 October 2007

President Pöttering calls for high participation in upcoming Romanian European elections -17 October 2007

What does a Member of the European Parliament do?

There are 785 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and they have a decisive voice in most EU legislation. While the Council represents the individual member states and the Commission seeks to uphold the interests of the Union as a whole, the European Parliament represents the EU’s 490 million citizens and is directly elected by them. Decisions that MEPs make have direct impact on people's lives in all EU countries, which is a good reason for citizens to vote in the European elections.

MEPs can approve, amend or reject most of the European laws. The European Parliament does not have the final say alone on the European laws; if a law is to pass, Parliament must find agreement with the Council, representing the Member States. Increasingly it is the MEPs, whose job it is to represent citizens rather than Member States, who find the solutions determining the shape of EU law. Improving bathing water standards, safer use of the internet, maximum working hours, ban on animal testing for cosmetics and better food labelling are just some issue MEPs have recently legislated on.

MEPs also decide on the EU's annual budget, and supervise expenditure.

Parliamentarians also oversee the European Commission by asking questions, giving the budget "discharge" (verifying that the EU budget money was spent properly) and conducting hearings of the Commissioners-designate. The European Parliament can also force the Commission to resign.

How do MEPs work?

MEPs spend four days per month in parliamentary sessions in Strasbourg - additional sessions are held in Brussels. During these sittings all MEPs meet in public and take the most important decisions by voting on legislative issues.

Most of the work, however, is done in committees, where all proposed legislation is first discussed before being submitted, debated and voted on in plenary session. In committees, MEPs amend proposals from the Commission and Council and adopt legislative proposals and own-initiative reports. There are 20 committees and each specialises in a particular field (such as the environment, public health and food safety, industry, research and energy, transport and agriculture). MEPs can also sit in sub-committees, temporary committees and committees of inquiry, to focus on a particular issue (for example the existence of secret CIA detention centres in Europe for suspected terrorists or the crisis of the Equitable Life Assurance Society).

One week per month is usually devoted to meetings of the political groups, where Parliament’s members discuss proposed legislation which will come up at the plenary session. MEPs are grouped together on the basis of political affiliation rather than nationality. There are eight groups at the European Parliament and MEPs cannot belong to more than one political group.

Apart from plenary sessions, committees and political groups, MEPs meet in delegations (which interact with the parliaments of countries that are not members of the European Union) and cross-party intergroups (where they focus on specific subjects of common interest).

MEPs also have the responsibility to spend time in their constituencies, so that they can represent local concerns at European level. All MEPs make as much time as possible to talk with their constituents, local business and organisations, Parliament set aside a number of short recess periods to facilitate this.

The last link below details the powers of MEPs and the European Parliament.

Further information :

Your MEPs by country and region

European Parliament Committees

European Parliament delegations with non-EU countries

Powers of the European Parliament and MEPs

Presentation of the European Parliament - video-clip (6mins , 30 secs)

So, just what is an EP political group?

Is the term political group confusing? Would you like to get it straight once and for all? Below you can find a series of articles looking at the eight political groups in the European Parliament. We will consider their history, leaders and programmes. But let's start at the beginning by looking at the political groups and what role they play within the EU.

The political group system in the European Parliament is a very specific and special one. Instead of sticking with national interests, MEPs from political parties across the EU come together in supranational groupings, representing common interests. For example, the largest grouping - the European People's Party - European Democrats, or EPP-ED - brings together 277 MEPs from all 27 EU countries.

At the moment there are eight political groupings in the European Parliament and 13 non-attached MEPs. To set up a new political group there must be a minimum of 20 members elected in at least one fifth of EU countries.

Power House of the Parliament

The political groups are vital to the running of the European Parliament: they decide what issues will be dealt with at the plenary, they can also table amendments to reports that will be voted on during the plenary and before the session they decide which position the political group will take. However, no member can be forced to vote in a particular way.

"Group co-ordinators" play an important role, providing a point of contact within their political groups for specific policy issues and organising support within committees when it comes to voting on reports.

Each political group appoints a chairman, or in some cases two. The influence of the groups is reflected in the fact that they put forward the candidates for all the important posts including the EP president, vice-presidents, committee chairmen and the quaestors.

Further information :

The Political Groups in the European Parliament

So, just what is an EP political group? - Focus with details on each Political Group

What will MEPs be deciding until the end of the legislature in June 2009? Key legislation in course

Some of the important topics that MEPs will be dealing with after being elected to the European Parliament are listed below. Key topics for MEPs include: climate change, immigration, energy, environment, energy, telecoms and CAP reform.

Climate change

Work of the temporary committee
Revision of emission trading scheme, starting by inclusion of aviation
CO2 car emissions (legislation expected)

Immigration

Return of illegal immigrants
Sanctions for employment of illegal immigrants

Environment

Pesticides
Soil protection
Quality of air (likely final vote)
Protecting the environment through criminal law (later)
Packaging and labelling of chemicals (legislation expected)

Energy

Internal market package
Renewable energy

Telecommunications package (legislation expected)

Later:

EU financing - CAP Health Check

Indicative timings only

November II Brussels (28-29)

Soil protection, 1st reading Gutierrez Cortines
Preparation of Council 13-4 Dec
Matrimonial law, consultation, Gebhardt
Factors encouraging terrorism, report Mayor Oreja

December Strasbourg (10-13)

Wine reform, consultation Castaglioni
Quality of air, 2nd reading, Khramer
Consumer credit, 2nd reading
Statute and financing of political parties, 1st reading Leinen
Sakharov Prize being awarded
Debate on enlargement
Budget 2008 - adoption

December 17 or 18

Special plenary for results of PT presidency

January I, 2008, Strasbourg (14-17)

Reduction of greenhouse gasses, 1st reading Corbey (not yet the key legislative proposal)
Presentation of Slovene presidency

January II, Brussels (30-31)

Lobbyists in the EU institutions, report Stubb
Security of aviation, final vote after conciliation

Further information :

Indication of reports of future plenary sittings

An overview of the European Parliament in action at the midway point of the legislature July 2004-December 2006

The European Parliament changed dramatically in 2004. Following the historic enlargement of the EU from 15 to 25 Member States on 1 May 2004, European Parliament elections were held in June 2004 in all 25 Member States. The number of MEPs increased from 626 to 732. As a consequence, the number of official working languages increased from 11 to 20 with a mind-boggling possible 380 different language combinations for interpretation. From 1 January 2007, the number of MEPs rises temporarily to 785 with the addition of 35 Romanian 18 Bulgarian MEPs. After the European elections in 2009, the total number reduces to 736 MEPs. Also from 1 January 2007, the number of official languages rises from 20 to 23 with the addition of Romanian, Bulgarian and Irish.

One of Parliament's first duties after the 2004 European elections was to vote on the new European Commission, made up of 25 Commissioners then to be 27 Commissioner. MEPs proved decisive with the House rejecting the first Italian candidate Rocco Buttiglione, before the House finally voted in favour of José Manuel Barroso's team in November 2004. In May 2005, Parliament also had to face the "no" votes on the Constitution in France and the Netherlands, MEPs had voted 500 votes to 137 with 40 abstentions in favour of the Constitutional Treaty in January 2005.

From a legislative point of view, Parliament's position on the much debated Services Directive which aims to facilitate the provision of cross-border services by removing obstacles to the free movement of services in the internal was taken up by EU government and eventually adopted by MEPs in November 2006. In December 2006, the European Parliament adopted the compromise it negotiated with Council on the new regulation for chemicals, REACH, which will oblige producers to register all those chemical substances produced or imported above a total quantity of 1 tonne per year. Registration will affect about 30,000 substances.

As for Parliament budgetary powers, in May 2006, Parliament adopted a report on the EU financial perspective for 2007-2013. After two years of hard negotiations with the EU Council of Ministers, the European Parliament managed to obtain €4 billion more than the EU Member States had originally been prepared to spend. MEPs had long sought to increase the EU budget substantially, to match the EU's growing ambitions. However, faced with the inflexibility of some Member States and the risk of a major crisis if the financial perspectives were not adopted on schedule, they opted for a "realistic" agreement, focusing their efforts on those policy areas that they deemed most important.

Below are selected headlines showing the European Parliament in action, exercising its supervisory, legislative and budgetary powers during the plenary sessions held in Strasbourg and Brussels.

Further information :

Parliament's mid-term review

2004-2006 round-up. Here are 20 briefing notes on Parliament's growing role, legislative battles and initiatives so far.

Electoral Calendar and Rules

Electoral calendar

adopted by the Government on 18 September.

September 26 Deadline for registration of candidates

Deadline for registration of EU citizens in Romania to the special electoral list

September 27 Publication of the lists of candidates

October 10 Submitting contestations regarding the registration and/or the rejection of candidates

October 16 Final decisions regarding the contested candidates

Oct 26 - Nov 24 (7am) Official electoral campaign

November 25 Election Day (7 am - 9pm)

November 25, (9pm) Count starts

November 28 Submission of the protocol of the elections with all necessary attached documents to the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC); upon the protocol is adopted, the official results are published in the Official Journal.

Right to vote: All Romanian citizens aged 18 (all Romanian citizens are automatically registered at the age of 18) or over and all EU citizens resident or with their main address in Romania, in full possession of the right to vote. The EU citizens resident or with their main address in Romania shall register on a special list within the respective administrative unit; the registration shall be validated by the Permanent Electoral Authority.

Right to stand for elections: All Romanian citizens aged 23 or over and all EU citizens resident or with their main address in Romania, in full possession of the right to stand as a candidate.

The Romanian citizens in the following categories cannot be elected as Romanian representatives in the European Parliament: ombudsmen, magistrates, active army officers, policemen and other public servants, including those with special statute.

Elections to the European Parliament: 25 November 2007

Romanian Electoral procedure

Figures*

	TOTAL	WOMEN	MEN
Nr. inhabitants	21.673.328	10.571.606	11.101.722
Nr. of potential voters (20+)	14.673.030	8.549.411	6.123.619
Nr. of young people (15-19)**	1.728.872	846.021	882.851
Nr. of seats	35
Nr. of inhabitants per seat	619.237

* As on July the 1st, 2004 - Romanian Institute for Statistics

** The age group 15 - 19 on July the 1st, 2004 - potential voting for the first time in European elections but also in general elections (last elections held in Romania - end of November 2004)

Further information :

Accession of Romania to the EU - video-clip (3mins 20 secs)

Parliament's role in the EU accession of Bulgaria and Romania

The EU Accession Treaty of Bulgaria and Romania, signed in 2005, was ratified by all Member States before entering into force on 1 January 2007. The accession of Bulgaria (18 MEPs) and Romania (35) increased the total number of MEPs from 732 to 785 for a 27-Member State EU.

In a resolution adopted in April 2005, Parliament gave its assent for Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU on 1 January 2007, but also pointed out that they had work to do in order to be ready by that date. With a 27-member EU just around the corner, MEPs stressed the need for both sides to stick to their commitments. Bulgaria and Romania must pursue their reforms, including those of their judicial systems, even after accession.

The negotiations to bring Romania and Bulgaria into the EU on 1 January 2007 were completed in December 2004. The accession treaty, signed on 25 April 2005, lays down conditions similar to those for the ten new Member States that joined on 1 May 2004, apart from an extra clause that would have allowed for their accession to be postponed if they had clearly not been ready.

Romania had lodged its membership application on 22 June 1995 and Bulgaria on 14 December 1995.

Further information :

Background note on European Parliament's role in the EU accession of Bulgaria and Romania

Clip with the accession signature of Romania (3 mins 20 secs)