Former Romanian PM Ungureanu's new party to break former ruling party PDL

Former Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who led the Romanian Government for a short period earlier this year before being overthrown by a vote of no-confidence, plans to launch a new party, called the Center Right Initiative. The new political party will oppose the socialist bloc, currently running the country, said Member of the European Parliament Cristian Preda, from the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL). Preda said he will join the new party, along with others from PDL, but did not disclose their names.

PDL, Romania's previous ruling party, has worse than expected results from the recent local elections, far behind the Social Liberal Union (USL). More about the elections here. When talking about the new political movement, Preda reminded of the Romanian Democrat Convention (CDR) in the early 90s, which won the elections in 1996, outrunning the Social Salvation Front (FSN), the predecessor of the existing Social Democrat Party (PSD), part of the current governing alliance. Ungureanu recently said that the local election turnout – of around 50 percent – means that half of Romanians felt they were not represented by the politicians, saying it is the perfect time for some responsible analysis within political parties, including PDL. Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who was member of the National Liberal Party in the past, became Prime Minister in February this year, after Emil Boc resigned from his PM seat. Ungureanu led the shortest cabinet in Romania, being overthrown after a vote of no-confidence started by USL in the Parliament in April 2012. editor@romania-insider.com