Liberal Party (Moldova)

Liberal Party Partidul Liberal
President	Mihai Ghimpu
Founder	Anatol Şalaru
Founded	5 September 1993
Headquarters	Chişinău
Ideology	Conservative liberalism, Liberalism
Political position	Centre-right
National affiliation	Alliance for European Integration
International affiliation	None
European affiliation	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party
Colours	Blue, Yellow
Parliament
District Presidents
Website
http://www.pl.md/
Politics of Moldova Political parties Elections

The Liberal Party (Romanian: Partidul Liberal, PL; Russian: Либеральная партия) is a conservative-liberal political party in Moldova.

The president of the party is Mihai Ghimpu. His nephew Dorin Chirtoacă is its vice-president.

History

In the 1993, Anatol Şalaru created Party of Reform (PR). In 1997 Mihai Ghimpu was elected as chairman of the PR. Until April 2005, the party had a Christian democratic electoral platform. Competing in the parliamentary elections of 1994, 1998 and 2001, PR failed to enter in the Parliament, obtaining scores under the electoral prague, 2,36%;0,54% and respectively, 0,67% of popular votes.

Rise and governing

On the second congress of PR, held on 24 April 2005, the party members decided to change the name to the Liberal Party (PL), adopting its new status, programme and logo, which presented a liberal political platform. Mihai Ghimpu was elected president of the new party. PL was competing in the parliamentary elections of 2009, obtaining 13.13% of popular votes and a total of 15 deputies. However, after the second parliamentary elections of 2009, the popular votes riced to 14.68%, with 15 deputies.

As a consequence of the second parliamentary election of 2009, held on 29 July, PL signed with Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM), Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) and Our Moldova Alliance (AMN), the protocol of Alliance for European Integration. The party was included in the government of Vlad Filat. Competing in the parliamentary elections of 2010, PL obtains 9,96% of the popular vote and a total of 12 deputies. The party remained in the second government formed by Filat. The European Action Movement (Romanian: Mişcarea Acţiunea Europeană, MAE) merged into the party in March 2011.

Structure progresses

Under the leadership of Ghimpu, PL has exceeded the former Cristian Democratic orientation. On 25 January 2009, the Conference for the constitution of the Women's wing of Liberal Party to republican level was held. Also, the party formed the Club of the Liberal Teenagers, who opted to the right of vote from the age of 16 years. PL joined the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) as an observer member.

Internal split

In 2013 the party suffered an internal split. On 8 May 2013 the Liberal Party Reform Council was launched, with Ion Hadârcă as president. The members of this Council were called by the media "Liberal Reformers". The internal split deepened when the Liberal Reformers joined the Coalition for a Pro-European Government, formed after the dissolution of AIE, remaining on the government, and the official lead of the party falled in opposition.

Electoral results

In 1998 polls, the party obtained only 0.54% and failed to pass the electoral threshold of 4%. The Party of Reform didn't participate in 2001 polls and 2005 polls.

In the local elections of 2007 the party gained 18.31% in Chişinău municipality and 11 seats in the Chişinău Municipal Council. Its vice-president, Chirtoacă, became the Mayor of Chişinău.

2009 elections

Main articles: Moldovan parliamentary election, April 2009 and Moldovan parliamentary election, July 2009

The party obtained 13.13% of the votes at the Moldovan parliamentary election, April 2009, equating to 15 out of 101 MPs. At the elections called in July later that same year the Liberal Party obtained 14.68% of the national vote and 15 out of 101 MPs maintaining its representation in parliament of 15 MPs and increasing its percentage of the national vote by 1.6%.

After the July 2009 parliamentary election, the party became a political force within the Alliance for European Integration along with the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova, Democratic Party of Moldova and Party Alliance Our Moldova.

Results since 1994 (year links to election page)
Polls	Type of Election	Votes	%	MPs
1994	Parliament	41,980	2.36	0
1998	Parliament	8,844	0.54	0
2001	Parliament	0	0	0
2005	Parliament	0	0	0
2009 (April)	Parliament	201,879	13.13	15
2009 (July)	Parliament	232,108	14.68	15
2010	Parliament	171,445	9.96	12

Notable members

Mihai Ghimpu and Dorin Chirtoacă

Anatol Şalaru

• Dorin Chirtoacă
• Mihai Ghimpu
• Anatol Şalaru
• Corina Fusu
• Vadim Cojocaru
• Anatolie Arhire
• Gheorghe Brega
• Vadim Vacarciuc
• Bodrug Oleg
• Ana Guţu
• Ion Hadârcă
• Valeriu Nemerenco
• Ion Lupu
• Mihail Moldovanu
• Boris Vieru
• Ion Apostol
• Ion Cebanu
• Nistor Grozavu
• Vitalie Marinuţa
• Ion Negrei
• Gheorghe Şalaru

Gallery

• 

  Votes won by PL in the April 2009 election by raion and municipality

• 

  Young Liberals and Ion Negrei

External links

• www.pl.md - Official website (Romanian)