Victor Ponta’s surprise defeat in Romania’s presidential elections could add more volatility to the country’s turbulent party system

Romania held presidential elections on 2 and 16 November 2014, with the country’s Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, being defeated in the second round by Klaus Iohannis.

Daniel Brett and Ellie Knott write that while the result came as a surprise for many observers, it reflected wider dissatisfaction with Ponta’s Social Democratic Party among the electorate. They note that Romanian politics is likely to remain highly volatile in the short-term if the anti-corruption and reform efforts advocated by Iohannis come into conflict with the country’s vested interests.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Romanian presidential election, 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/romanian-presidential-election-2014/

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, 18.11.14: Romania: Last minute mobilisation makes Iohannis president https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/claudia-ciobanu/romania-last-minute-mobilisation-makes-iohannis-president

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 24.11.14: Following a tense election campaign, Romania’s new President must work to heal the divisions within the country’s party system http://bit.ly/1vFbbAV

Social Europe Journal, 10.12.14: Where Now For Romania’s Social Democrats? http://www.social-europe.eu/2014/12/now-romanias-social-democrats/

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