Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania
Template:Infobox Romanian political party
The Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (Template:Lang-de, DFDR; Template:Lang-ro, in short [Forumul German] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), abbreviated FDGR) is a centrist political party representing the German minority in Romania. It was founded at the end of 1989. Despite originally being a German minority party, the party is popular also with many ethnic Romanians, notably in parts of Transylvania including the major city of Sibiu, where the party has a majority in the city council. The party has an image as independent and politicians of the FDGR, including former Sibiu mayor, former party leader and current President of Romania, Klaus Johannis, have earned respect as efficient and uncorrupted administrators[citation needed]. The party has often cooperated with the National Liberal Party to which Iohannis became a member and one of its prime leaders in February 2013.
Overview
Under the term "Romanian Germans" (Rumäniendeutsche) are included a wide variety of different regional German-speaking groups, including: Transylvanian Saxons, Banat Swabians, Sathmar Swabians, Bukovina Germans, Transylvanian Landler, Zipser Germans, and Regat Germans (the term Regat refers to what was Romanian territory until World War I). The history of the German minority in Romania, and more specifically, the historical region of Transylvania, spans almost a millennium.
Since the year 2000, the DFDR has won offices on both the local and regional levels. In Sibiu (Hermannstadt), the DFDR's Klaus Johannis has held the office of mayor since 2000, and in 2004 the party gained 60.43% of the vote in elections for the Municipal Council. The DFDR holds 16 out of the 23 seats in the Sibiu Municipal Council, which gives it an absolute majority. In the Sibiu County (around 450,000 residents), the DFDR has 11 of the 33 seats in the County Council, where it is the strongest faction.
The DFDR has also had mayors in office since 2004 in the cities of Mediaş (Mediasch) and Cisnădie (Heltau), as well as in a few villages in the Satu Mare (Sathmar) county.
The DFDR is an associated member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities.
Presidents
- 1990-1992: Thomas Nägler
- 1992-1998: Paul Philippi
- 1998-2001: Wolfgang Wittstock
- 2001-2013: Klaus Johannis
- 2013-present: Paul-Jürgen Porr
Localities with DFDR mayors
Since 2004:
- Ciumești (Schamagosch)
- Cisnădie (Heltau)
- Foieni (Fienen)
- Petreşti (Petrifeld)
- Sibiu (Hermannstadt)
- Tiream (Terem)
DFDR politicians
- Martin Bottesch (President of the Sibiu County Council)
- Ovidiu Ganț (Member of Parliament and MEP for Romania, 2007-2009)
- Klaus Johannis (President of Romania)
- Paul Philippi (Theologian and President of DFDR)
- Wolfgang Wittstock (Journalist and former DFDR Member of Parliament)