PM announces number of parliamentary seats won by Romania's different political groups

Serving and almost certain to be future Prime Minister Victor Ponta has announced the number of seats won in parliament following Sunday's election, describing his party's result as its best ever. Ponta's Democratic Social Party (PSD) has won 221 seats in Parliament, the party's best result to date, according to the PM. The PSD's Social Liberal Union (USL) partners the National Liberal Party (PNL) will have 147 seats – which Ponta believes is also the party's best result to date. The Conservative Party, which is also in the USL, won 21 seats, while the Magyar Union, (UDMR), which is currently being courted by the USL, secured 27 seats in the new Parliament. PM Ponta said the Right Romania Alliance (ARD) had secured only 80 seats in total. The PM expressed satisfaction that Dan Diaconescu, media tycoon and head of the Popular Party, did not win a seat, but said he was disappointed that his party now has 68 MPs in Parliament. The joint Senate and Chamber of Deputies meeting room might not be big enough for all the 550 MPs this year, as it only has 501 seats. The new Parliament is 80 MPs bigger than last year, so on joint meetings, some of the MPs will be invited to seat at the balcony, which is usually dedicated to observers and media. editor@romania-insider.com