2020 USR-PLUS Alliance

The 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance (Romanian: Alianța 2020 USR-PLUS) is an electoral alliance established on 2 February 2019 between the political parties Save Romania Union (USR) and the Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party (PLUS) to participate together in the 2019 European Parliament election in Romania of May.[4] Subsequently, the two parties decided to sign a protocol for a political alliance for the 2019 Romanian presidential election[5][6] and for the 2020 local and legislative elections as well.

2020 USR-PLUS Alliance Alianța 2020 USR-PLUS
Leaders	Dacian Cioloș (PLUS) Dan Barna (USR)
Leader in the Senate	Radu-Mihai Mihail (USR)
Leader in the Chamber of Deputies	Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu (USR)
Founded	2 February 2019
Ideology	Anti-corruption Progressivism Liberalism Economic liberalism Pro-Europeanism
Political position	Centre to centre-right[1][2]
European Parliament group	Renew Europe[3]
Colours	Blue   Orange
Slogan	O Românie fără hoție (A Romania without thievery)
Constituent parties	USR PLUS
Senate	25 / 136
Chamber of Deputies	55 / 330
European Parliament	8 / 33
Mayors	28 / 3,176
County Councilors	65 / 1,340
Local Councilors	1,207 / 39,900
Website
www.usrplus.ro
Politics of Romania Political parties Elections

History

Dan Barna (USR) and Dacian Cioloș (PLUS), as leaders of the alliance, declared on 2 February 2019 that the two parties reached an agreement to participate jointly in European elections and that the project was a first step towards a possible success in the next Romanian legislative election.[7][8]

On 7 March 2019, the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) rejected the application for registration of the 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance for the European Parliament elections, motivating that Barna and Cioloș were not listed as presidents of the two parties in the Register of Political Parties.[9] Barna was elected president of the USR in October 2017, and Cioloș was elected president of the PLUS in February 2019. Both requested their registration as presidents at the Bucharest Tribunal, but until the Alliance's registration they did not receive a final decision.[10] Deputy Nicușor Dan, former president of the USR, declared that "I found, together with the legal team, the solution that would allow me to legally countersign the protocol of the USR-PLUS Alliance".[11] On March 8, the High Court of Cassation and Justice accepted USR-PLUS' appeal to the decision of the BEC to not to allow the alliance to be registered.[12] The alliance's chosen slogan used to be Fără hoție ajungem departe, meaning "Without thievery we go far" and referring to the existing corruption in Romania.[13] Nowadays, the slogan is O Românie fără hoție ("A Romania without thievery").[14]

2019 European Parliament elections

Members of the 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance thanking the people of Bucharest for the victory in the European Parliament elections of May 2019

On 4 April 2019, the 2020 USR-PLUS Alliance presented, during a press conference, its party platform for the European Parliament elections.[15] The alliance's electoral offer covers four main subjects: "Justice and protection of the rights of the Romanians in the European Union", "welfare for society: health, education and anti-poverty measures", "European prosperity at home, in Romania", and "foreign and secure policy".[16] Among the promises of the alliance are the creation of an applicable European Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification, Romania's accession to the Schengen Area and changes in education, agriculture and infrastructure. The alliance also supports the Accession of Moldova to the European Union.[17]

On the occasion of the European Council meeting of May 9 in Sibiu, Romania, Ciolos had a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, President of France, focused on a discussion on the creation of a new political group in the European Parliament after the elections of May 26.[18]

During the political campaign, the alliance organized two major party rallies attended by both leaders of the alliance, one on May 5 in Cluj-Napoca[19] and the other one on May 12 in Timișoara.[20] The Bucharest rally of 24 May was also attended by Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament, who announced the formation of a new Pro-European reformist center parliamentary group, together with the La République En Marche! of Emmanuel Macron.[21]

Electoral history

Legislative elections

Election	Chamber			Senate			Position	Aftermath
	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
2020	906,962	15.37	55 / 330	936,862	15.86	25 / 136	3rd	PNL-USR-PLUS-UDMR government (2020–present)

Local elections

Election	County Councilors (CJ)			Mayors			Local Councilors (CL)			Popular vote	%	Position
	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
2020	478,659	6.65	65 / 1,340	490,362	6.58	28 / 3,176	504,563	6.85	1,207 / 39,900	696.478	8.89	3rd

Presidential elections

Election	Candidate	First round			Second round
		Votes	Percentage	Position	Votes	Percentage	Position
2019	Dan Barna	1,384,450	15.02%	3rd	not qualified

European Parliament elections

Election	Votes	%	MEPs	Position	EU Party	EP Group
2019	2,028,236	22.36	8 / 32	3rd	—	Renew Europe

See also

• Politics of Romania

References

1. "Er gilt als Mitte-links-Politiker, seine Ausrichtung ist sozialliberal". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (in German). 8 May 2017.
2. "USR: Mișcarea La Republique en Marche schimbă peisajul politic francez". Save Romania Union (in Romanian). 12 June 2017.
3. "Former Romanian PM considered for head of Renew group in EP". Romania Insider. 18 June 2019.
4. "USR a decis să participe împreună cu PLUS pe o listă comună la europarlamentare". Agerpres (in Romanian). 2 February 2019.
5. Kiss, Robert (4 August 2019). "Cum merg negocierile între USR și PLUS. Alianță politică sau alianță electorală". Digi 24 (in Romanian).
6. "Comitetul politic al USR a decis: Alianța 2020 USR-PLUS va rămâne electorală și nu se va înscrie la tribunal cum au vrut liderii". Radio Europa Liberă România (in Romanian). 3 August 2019.
7. "Cioloș și Barna anunță formarea „Alianței 2020 USR PLUS" pentru alegeri". HotNews (in Romanian). 2 February 2019.
8. Iordache, Mihaela (6 February 2019). "Romania: 2019, tra inflazione ed elezioni". Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (in Italian).
9. "BEC motivează de ce a respins cererea Alianţei USR- PLUS pentru europarlamentare: Preşedinţi sunt Nicuşor Dan şi Daneş Raluca". Mediafax (in Romanian). 7 March 2019.
10. "Biroul Electoral Central anunță că Alianța 2020 USR PLUS nu poate merge la europarlamentare". EURACTIV (in Romanian). 7 March 2019.
11. "Nicușor Dan: Am găsit soluția care să îmi permită să contrasemnez legal protocolul Alianței USR-PLUS". Agerpres (in Romanian). 7 March 2019.
12. "Comunicat de presă - USR". Agerpres (in Romanian). 8 March 2019.
13. Pirvoiu, Claudia (7 May 2019). "Campania electorală la români: agheasmă, mici și dans". HotNews (in Romanian).
14. "BEC a decis că Alianța USR-PLUS poate folosi sloganul "O Românie fără hoție"". HotNews (in Romanian). 15 November 2020.
15. "USR și PLUS și-au prezentat obiectivele pentru europarlamentare. Ce promite Alianța 2020". HotNews (in Romanian). 4 April 2019.
16. Sahlean, Adelina (5 April 2019). "USR-PLUS și-a anunțat obiectivele pentru Parlamentul European: modificarea legislației pe justiție". Newsweek (in Romanian).
17. "Alianța USR-PLUS și-a prezentat programul electoral: Ce își propune să facă dacă ajunge în Parlamentul European". Ziare.com (in Romanian). 4 April 2019.
18. Cristescu, George Andrei (9 May 2019). "Cioloş, întâlnire cu Macron la Sibiu: Ne-am concentrat asupra pregătirii viitorului grup proeuropean din viitorul Parlament". Adevărul (in Romanian).
19. Rotaru, Sebastian (5 May 2019). "Alianța 2020 USR PLUS a avut primul miting electoral". EURACTIV (in Romanian).
20. "Alianța 2020 USR-PLUS organizează al doilea miting electoral, duminică, la Timișoara". Libertatea (in Romanian). 10 May 2019.
21. "#europarlamentare2019/Guy Verhofstadt, la mitingul Alianței 2020 USR PLUS: Vom crea o nouă mișcare în Europa". Agerpres (in Romanian). 24 May 2019.

External links

• Official website (in Romanian)