Reference Type:  Journal Article
Author: Alionescu, Ciprian-Călin
Year: 2004
Title: Parliamentary Representation of Minorities in Romania
Translated Title: [A romániai kisebbségek parlamenti képviselete / Reprezentarea parlamentară a minorităților din România]
Journal: Southeast European Politic
Volume: Vol. V, No. 1/ June 2004
Pages: 60-75
ISSN: 1586-9733
Language: English
Keywords: political science, democratic representation
Abstract: (ENG) This article aims to analyse the mechanisms through which the parliamentary representation of ethnic minorities is ensured in Romania. After briefly reviewing the situation in other countries from South East Europe, I turn to the case of Romania, where there is a clear distinction between the Hungarian minority (which established a highly successful political movement in 1989, UDMR) and all other minorities (which were only able to gain parliamentary representation through the positive discrimination system provided by the Romanian law). This system is then analysed in detail and
the results of the 1996 and 2000 parliamentary elections are used as case studies. The Romanian system has clear strengths (such as simplicity), but also obvious weaknesses (hijacking of the minority representation being the most serious). The paper concludes with a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the Romanian system and suggests a few possible improvements.
URL: http://www.seep.ceu.hu/archives/issue51/alionescu.pdf