2004 Romanian Elections: Test Case for a True Romanian Democracy

Paper

2004 Romanian Elections: Test Case for a True Romanian Democracy

by Sorana Pârvulescu,

The article analysis the development and results of the November 2004 presidential and parliamentary elections in Romania. In the first part, it is argued that elections were free, but unfair, because of the control exercised by the party in government over state and media agencies, because of allegations of electoral frauds and because of an unfair electoral campaign. The second part of the article analyzes the outcome of the elections as a democratic exercise in alternation in power, and explains the mechanisms through which these outcomes were reached. The paper concludes with a few remarks on the quality of democracy in Romania and on the poor state of the rule of law demonstrated by recent political developments.

published in Vol 4 - No 2 - 2004 // Minorities And Ethnic Politics

Vol 4 - No 2 - 2004 // Minorities And Ethnic Politics

ABSTRACT

Minorities And Ethnic Politics

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