Prior to the 1990 Romanian national elections, members of the National Peasants' Party merged with members of the Christian Democratic Party to form the Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party or PNTCD (Europa 1992 1992, 2316). The PNTCD, currently led by Corneliu Coposu, was reported to have 615,000 members in 1992 (ibid.). The party's platform calls for a pluralist democracy, return to a market economy, restoration of peasant property, reorganization of the nation's educational system, separation of the powers of state, free elections of management bodies, equality among nationalities and religious beliefs (ibid.), and the return of the Republic of Moldava to Romanian control (Political Handbook of the World: 1992 1992, 637). The National Peasants' Party is also reportedly in favour of the reestablishment of the Romanian monarchy (The New York Times 17 Feb. 1991, 26).

Prior to local elections held between February and April 1992, the PNTCD and 13 other political parties opposed to the ruling National Salvation Front formed an alliance known as the Democratic Convention (DC) (Europa 1992, 1992, 2307). The DC won approximately 25 % of local contests (Political Handbook of the World: 1992 1992, 636).

In parliamentary elections based on proportional representation held on 27 September 1992, the DC, now known as the Democratic Convention of Romania (DCR), won 23 % of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies and 22.5 percent of the vote for the Senate (USCSCE, Nov. 1992, 18). PNTCD members hold 42 of the DCR's 82 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 21 of the DCR's 34 seats in the Senate (RFE/RL 30 Oct. 1992, 4).

The PNTCD's presidential candidate, Emil Constantinescu, was defeated in presidential run-off elections held on 11 October 1992 (USCSCE, Nov. 1992, 19).

According to a representative of RFE/RL in Munich, the number of seats held by the PNTCD remains unchanged (31 Jan. 1994). The source added that the PNTCD currently constitutes the main component of the DCR, which in turn constitutes the main opposition party in the Romanian parliament (ibid.).

For additional information concerning recent internal Romanian political issues and the PNTCD, please refer to the attached documents and Response to Information Request ROM6749 of 29 August 1990, available on the Refinfo data base.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

The Europa World Yearbook 1992. 1992. Vol. 2. London: Europa Publications Ltd.

The New York Times. 17 February 1991. Late Edition. "Exiled Romanian King Has Hopes of Return." (NEXUS)

Political Handbook of the World: 1992. 1992. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Research Institute. 30 October 1992. RFE/RL Research Report [Munich]. Vol. 1, No. 43. Michael Shifir. "Romania's Election: Why the Democratic Convention Lost."

Representative, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Munich. 31 January 1994. Telephone interview.

US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (USCSCE). November 1992. Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Romania. Washington, DC: USCSCE.

The Associated Press (AP). 12 April 1991. AM Cycle. "Romanian Demonstrations Draw 60,000 Demanding New Election." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 30 December 1993. "NPP-CD Only Interested in Negotiations on Government Together with CDR." (NEXIS)

_____. 8 December 1993. "National Peasants' Coposu ready with Censure Motion Against Government." (NEXIS)

_____. 19 November 1993. "Opposition Calls for Setting up of New Government." (NEXIS)

_____. 30 September 1993. "Peasant Christian Party Reviews Its Activity a Year after Elections." (NEXIS)

_____. 30 July 1993. "Main Opposition Parties Offer Hungarian-Led Ministry and Autonomy if in Office." (NEXIS)

_____. 8 July 1993. "NPP-CD Prepares to Participate in Coalition if Government Resigns." (NEXIS)

_____. 24 May 1993. "National Peasants' Party Chairman urges Government Not to Sign Treaty with Hungary." (NEXIS)

_____. 25 February 1993. "National Peasant Party-Christian Democrat Leader Welcomes Liberal Merger." (NEXIS)

_____. 29 August 1991. "Rally Held in Bucharest to Express Solidarity with Moldava." (NEXIS)

The Europa World Yearbook 1992. 1992. Vol. 2. London:Europa Publications Ltd., pp. 2307, 2316.

The New York Times. 17 February 1991. Late Edition. "Exiled Romanian King Has Hopes of Return." (NEXUS) 26.

Political Handbook of the World: 1992. 1992. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications, pp. 636-37.

Reuters. 14 March 1993. BC Cycle. "Confidence Vote Tests Romanian Democracy." (NEXIS)

US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (USCSCE). November 1992. Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Romania. Washington, DC: USCSCE.