The National Liberal Party (, PNL) was the first organised
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
in Romania, a major force in the country's politics from its foundation in 1875 to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Established in order to represent the interests of the nascent local
bourgeoisie
The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and aristocracy. They are traditionally contrasted wi ...
, until
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
it contested power with the
Conservative Party, supported primarily by
wealthy landowners, effectively creating a
two-party system
A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referr ...
in a political system which severely limited the representation of the peasant majority through
census suffrage. Unlike its major opponent, the PNL managed to preserve its prominence after the implementation of
universal male suffrage
Universal manhood suffrage is a form of voting rights in which all adult male citizens within a political system are allowed to vote, regardless of income, property, religion, race, or any other qualification. It is sometimes summarized by the sl ...
, playing an important role in shaping the institutional framework of ''
Greater Romania
Greater Romania () is the Kingdom of Romania in the interwar period, achieved after the Great Union or the related pan-nationalist ideal of a nation-state which would incorporate all Romanian speakers.Irina LivezeanuCultural Politics in Greate ...
'' during the 1920s.
History
Dominated throughout its existence by the
Brătianu family
Brătianu is a family of Romanian politicians, founders of the National Liberal Party (Romania, 1875), National Liberal Party (PNL). They are the following:
* Dincă Brătianu (1768–1844), Romanian nobleman
* Ion Brătianu (1821–1891), PNL pre ...
, the party was periodically affected by strong factionalism. Among the many splits during the party's early history a notable one was that led by party founder
C. A. Rosetti, whose followers, supporting rapid and more extensive social reforms, created the
Radical Party in the late 1880s. In domestic matters, the National Liberal party supported the development of the local bourgeoisie, seeking to expand the
Romanian industry through government subsidies and a
protectionist
Protectionism, sometimes referred to as trade protectionism, is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import quotas, and a variety of other government regulations. ...
trade policy. Party elites controlled major Romanian-owned enterprises and a significant part the local finance sector, including the
National Bank of Romania
The National Bank of Romania (, BNR) is the central bank of Romania and was established in April 1880. Its headquarters are located in the capital city of Bucharest.
The National Bank of Romania is responsible for the issue of the Romanian le ...
. The PNL was also openly
antisemitic
Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
, as it opposed the giving of the Romanian citizenship to the
Romanian Jews
The history of the Jews in Romania concerns the Jews both of Romania and of Romanian origins, from their first mention on what is present-day Romanian territory. Minimal until the 18th century, the size of the Jewish population increased after ...
. Antisemitism was carried into the PNL's mainstream, and was officially enforced under the premierships of
Ion C. Brătianu. During his first years in office, Brătianu reinforced and applied old discrimination laws, insisting that Jews were not allowed to settle in the countryside (and relocating those that had done so), while declaring many Jewish urban inhabitants to be vagrants and expelling them from the country. According to the 1905 Jewish Encyclopedia: "A number of such Jews who proved their Romanian birth were forced across the Danube, and when
he Ottoman Empirerefused to receive them, were thrown into the river and drowned. Almost every country in Europe was shocked at these barbarities. The Romanian government was warned by the powers; and Brătianu was subsequently dismissed from office". Cabinets formed by the
Conservative Party, although including
Junimea
''Junimea'' was a Romanian literary society founded in Iași in 1863, through the initiative of several foreign-educated personalities led by Titu Maiorescu, Petre P. Carp, Vasile Pogor, Theodor Rosetti and Iacob Negruzzi. The foremost personali ...
's leaders, did not do much to improve the Romanian Jews' condition – mainly due to PNL opposition. Antisemitism continued to be enacted under the leadership of
Dimitrie Sturdza, who was resentful of "''aliens''" (in line with the anti-
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
policies of his party), and supported blocking non-Romanians from a large number of social positions. Sturdza was a notorious antisemite, supporting measures such as the expulsion of Romanian Jews, and he was known for his opposition towards the naturalization of the Jews in Romania. He and the PNL are responsible for the exile of Romanian Jewish intellectuals
Moses Gaster
Moses Gaster (17 September 1856 – 5 March 1939) was a Romanian, later British scholar, the ''Hakham'' of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish congregation, London, and a Hebrew and Romanian linguist. Moses Gaster was an active Zionist in Rom ...
and
Lazăr Şăineanu.
At the beginning of the 20th century, PNL, joined by many former leaders of the
Romanian Social Democratic Workers' Party, advocated an extension of the electoral franchise and a limited
agrarian reform
Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution.
Lan ...
, though this did not prevent a National Liberal government from violently repressing the
1907 Peasants' revolt. Adopting a
nationalist
Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation,Anthony D. Smith, Smith, A ...
discourse, before World War I the party championed the cause of ethnic Romanians living outside the borders, primarily those in
Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
-ruled
Transylvania
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
; its
irredentism
Irredentism () is one State (polity), state's desire to Annexation, annex the territory of another state. This desire can be motivated by Ethnicity, ethnic reasons because the population of the territory is ethnically similar to or the same as the ...
varied in degree, with a more pragmatic approach being preferred while in government. Traditionally
Francophile
A Francophile is a person who has a strong affinity towards any or all of the French language, History of France, French history, Culture of France, French culture and/or French people. That affinity may include France itself or its history, lang ...
, in foreign policy PNL supported cooperation with the ''
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente (from French meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was built upon th ...
'', against
King Carol's preference for the
Central Powers
The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,; ; , ; were one of the two main coalitions that fought in World War I (1914–1918). It consisted of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulga ...
. The party's stance had a major influence in Romania's decision to join the First World War on the side of the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
, which ultimately led to Romanian rule over
Bessarabia
Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...
,
Bukovina
Bukovina or ; ; ; ; , ; see also other languages. is a historical region at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. It is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided betwe ...
and Transylvania.
Ion I. C. Brătianu
Ion Ionel Constantin Brătianu (, also known as Ionel Brătianu; 20 August 1864 – 24 November 1927) was a Romanian politician, leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Prime Minister of Romania for five terms, and Foreign Minister on seve ...
was, like his father, openly antisemitic and opposed the granting of Romanian citizenship to Jews.
After World War I, however, antisemitism disappeared from the Liberals' political program, even forming alliances with Jewish politicians. Despite this, seeing the post-War
Minority Treaties
The Minority Treaties are treaties, League of Nations mandates, and unilateral declarations made by countries applying for membership in the League of Nations that conferred basic rights on all the inhabitants of the country without distinction ...
as an encroachment on the country's sovereignty, between the World Wars PNL governments pursued a strong policy of
centralisation
Centralisation or centralization (American English) is the process by which the activities of an organisation, particularly those regarding planning, decision-making, and framing strategies and policies, become concentrated within a particular ...
, dismissing calls for autonomy coming from the newly attached provinces and seeking to limit the influence of the national minorities, as well as that of foreign capital. In foreign policy, it supported the ''
cordon sanitaire'' against the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, also cracking down on the local workers' movement.
Though initially opposed to the restoration of deposed
King Carol II, it became increasingly supportive of his authoritarian policies, with PNL governments paving the way to a
royal dictatorship in the 1938. Another major split was caused in 1930 by opposing attitudes towards the restoration of Carol II:
Gheorghe I. Brătianu contested
Vintilă Brătianu
Vintilă Ion Constantin Brătianu (; 16 September 1867 – 22 December 1930) was a Romanian politician who served as Prime Minister of Romania between 24 November 1927 and 9 November 1928. He and his brothers Ion I. C. Brătianu and Dinu Brăti ...
's decision to oppose the King and created parallel organisations, claiming the party's name and legacy. After Vintilă's death, his faction came under the control of
Ion Gh. Duca and
Gheorghe Tătărescu, realigned with Carol and led several governments, while Gheorghe's continued as a
separate party, in opposition to the former's government. The two however reunited shortly before the dissolution of all parties in 1938. Formally disbanded along all political parties in 1938, party structures were preserved unofficially, with many party members also enlisting in Carol's
National Renaissance Front
The National Renaissance Front (, FRN; also translated as ''Front of National Regeneration'', ''Front of National Rebirth'', ''Front of National Resurrection'', or ''Front of National Renaissance'') was a Romanian political party created by King Ca ...
. The growing power of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
in the 1930s led some factions, primarily the one controlled by
Gheorghe I. Brătianu, to seek a rapprochement with the former war enemy from 1936 onward; during World War II, PNL leaders supported Romania's participation in the
Axis
An axis (: axes) may refer to:
Mathematics
*A specific line (often a directed line) that plays an important role in some contexts. In particular:
** Coordinate axis of a coordinate system
*** ''x''-axis, ''y''-axis, ''z''-axis, common names ...
-led
invasion of the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along a ...
, while maintaining contacts with the Western
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
, ultimately backing the
realignment with the latter in August 1944. Tolerated by the totalitarian government of
Ion Antonescu
Ion Antonescu (; ; – 1 June 1946) was a Romanian military officer and Mareșal (Romania), marshal who presided over two successive Romania during World War II, wartime dictatorships as Prime Minister of Romania, Prime Minister and ''Conduc� ...
, it eventually joined
King Michael I and the
Communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
,
National Peasants' and
Social Democratic
Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...
parties in overthrowing the dictator in the closing phase of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, enabling the reorganisation of the party in 1944. Part of the first post-war
grand coalition
A grand coalition is an arrangement in a multi-party parliamentary system in which the two largest political party, political parties of opposing political spectrum, political ideologies unite in a coalition government.
Causes of a grand coali ...
governments, it lost its importance as the new Communist-led coalition government used the
denazification
Denazification () was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of the Nazi ideology following the Second World War. It was carried out by removing those who had been Nazi Par ...
process in order to remove PNL supporters from government posts.
The last major split was motivated by the attitude towards the Communist-dominated left-wing alliance in the aftermath of World War II: while
Dinu Brătianu
Dinu Brătianu (; January 13, 1866 – August 20, 1950), born Constantin I. C. Brătianu, was a Romanian engineer and politician who led the National Liberal Party (PNL) starting in 1934.
Life Early career
He was born at the estate of ''Flo ...
, the party's president, opposed the increasing Communist influence, Tătărescu, the general secretary, favoured an alliance with it, hoping to preserve some influence in the Soviet-dominated political context. Both factions claimed the name and legacy of the original party, and, after a period of ambiguity, went on to create parallel organisations. Faced with a severe restriction of its activity by the Communist-dominated government, the first faction dissolved itself in late 1947. The second faction continued to be part of the governing coalitions until November 1947; nevertheless, Tătărescu's opposition to the policy of
extensive economic planning pursued by the government led to his replacement as party leader with
Petre Bejan. Forced into submission, the faction did not have any political activity after 1950. Deprived of their economic base, members of both factions also suffered political persecution after 1948. With the Communist-dominated government gaining the upper hand in local politics and starting to crack down on opposition, the party decided to cease political activity in the late 1947, effectively disbanding itself. After the
overthrow of the Communist party rule in 1989, a
new party was founded under the same name and assumed the National Liberal legacy. After the war, the Dinu Brătianu faction supported
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British d ...
-
American interests, while Tătărescu's sought a more pragmatic approach towards the
Big Three and friendly relation with the Soviets.
Scissions and mergers
Parties seceded from PNL
*
National Liberal Party-Brătianu
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
(1930)
*
National Liberal Party–Tătărescu/Bejan (1944)
Parties absorbed by PNL
*
National Liberal Party-Brătianu
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
(1938)
Party leaders
Electoral history
Legislative elections
Notes:
:: Almost always the government was named before parliamentary elections and confirmed afterwards;
:: Votes received in alliance with
PCD;
:: Votes received by National Union coalition. Coalition members: PNL,
PGR,
LA, and
PND.
References
Sources
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Liberal Party, 1875
National Liberal Party (Romania)
Defunct political parties in Romania
Defunct liberal political parties
Liberal parties in Romania
Nationalist parties in Romania
National liberal parties
Political parties established in 1875
1875 establishments in Romania
Romanian nationalist parties
Formerly banned political parties
Antisemitism in Romania
Political parties in the Kingdom of Romania