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87-492: The PNA existed as a venue for supporting the authoritarian King , Carol II , whose political program it partly enacted. The National Agrarianist economic and social proposals included the protection of smallholders , with echoes of dirigisme and promises of debt relief . It was strongly opposed to the more left-wing National Peasants' Party , describing it as corrupt and denouncing its autonomist-regionalist tendencies. In Parliament , PNA representatives, largely inherited from

174-620: A Goga favorite, Ion V. Emilian quit the PNC and formed his own movement, called "Fire Swastika". Valjean also opposed the merger, and made a point of not attending the PNC's constitutive congress. In an interview with Curentul , he deplored the merger as a Cuzist takeover. As he noted there, his own agrarianism was a venue for "practical reforms"; he also challenged Goga's external policies, arguing that Romania's economic dependency on Germany could not dilute her commitments to France and Britain . Such sentiments were also prevalent among other figures of

261-415: A PP congress at Enescu restaurant on March 12, attended by 45 of 65 sections, which proclaimed Goga as People's Party chairman. By March 21, Averescu was able to regain control over most PP chapters, though he lost all presence in places such as Argeș , Cluj , and Mehedinți . Goga also enjoyed strong support in places such as Caraș County , where a local activist and landowner, Romulus Boldea, also embraced

348-530: A close watch on Goga through Ion Sân-Giorgiu ; both the king and his spy saw the resulting party as an instrument for the king's own executive powers. Carol's agent at Internal Affairs , Victor Iamandi , distributed boons to the PNA and the LANC, helping their leaders to prefer Carol over Codreanu. Nichifor Crainic , who oversaw the LANC's paramilitary youth (or Lăncieri ), also boasted an important role in negotiating

435-469: A conspiracy was in place to break up the PP. In response, Goga accused Averescu of tarnishing the crown's prestige, claiming that his own faction was now Romania's "one monarchist party"; according to Goga, a reigning king was to be held as an expression of the "Romanian soul". Goga and his group were now situated on the extreme of Romanian nationalism , with "some sympathies toward fascism". However, their caucus

522-644: A direct Nazi takeover in Romania. He died suddenly in May 1938, leaving the PNC to separate into its pre-1935 formations: while Cuza opted to fully support the dictatorial project, former PNA activists grouped into a dissident, if politically insignificant, Union of National Awareness ( Uniunea Conștiinței Naționale , UCN). In December, the National Renaissance Front (FRN) was introduced as a sole legal party. Organized by Armand Călinescu , formerly of

609-463: A forum for the exchange of diverse viewpoints on national matters. Its primary responsibilities, as outlined in the Constitution, revolve around legislating, overseeing the actions of the executive branch, and bolstering parliamentary diplomacy alongside traditional diplomatic endeavors. There is one president, and four each of vice presidents, quaestors, and secretaries. The current composition

696-573: A hard-line antisemitic group. It used as its most popular symbol the LANC swastika, which Goga himself acknowledged as standing for the " Aryan race "; according to Mezarescu, its adoption showed a direct link with Nazism, despite claims that it had evolved from old Dacian symbolism. The new party had a shared presidency, with Cuza and Goga as co-chairs. It sought to challenge the Iron Guard whilst remaining close to more mainstream conservative forces. As noted by historian Lucian T. Butaru, Goga proved

783-519: A journalist and president of the Craiova chamber of labor. Also joining the PNA were the literary critic Tudor Vianu and his brother, the essayist Alexandru Vianu, alongside poet Sandu Tudor and philosopher Alexandru Mironescu . A small PNA chapter existed at Iași; it was very joined by another writer, Păstorel Teodoreanu , who had publicized disagreements with the local chairman, Florin Sion, and quit

870-481: A long-time collaborator of his, Aurel Vlad . Goga's Nazi contacts also networked for the creation of a Romanian fascist party bringing together the PNA, the LANC, and the Georgists, but the project failed to materialize in this form. It was then kept alive by Alfred Rosenberg , who believed in the necessity of consolidating Romania's antisemitic camp. A LANC–PNA fusion was nonetheless also favored by Carol, who kept

957-609: A parliamentary vote. Parliament was initially suspended and reinstated only later, in 1946. Michael I was crowned and anointed by the Orthodox Patriarch , Nicodim Munteanu , in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest , on the day of his second accession, 6 September 1940. However, legally, Michael I could not exercise much authority besides some prerogatives such as being the Supreme Head of

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1044-565: A referendum to restore the monarchy, with around half the population (in early 2018) believing monarchy to be a better organisational form than a republic. This is a graphical lifespan timeline of Kings, Heirs and Claimants to the Romanian throne . The kings, the heirs and the claimants are listed in chronological order. Chamber of Deputies of Romania Government (186) Supported by (17) Opposition (129) The Chamber of Deputies ( Romanian : Camera Deputaților )

1131-476: A state plan for developing agriculture, pomology , sericulture , and handicrafts. In parallel, Goga's intellectual debt to corporatism took form as promises to enact class collaboration , or "harmonious solidarity between workers, peasants and all other productive forces". Historian Oltea Rășcanu Gramaticu, who focused on the politics of Tutova County , noted that the PNA enjoyed "some popularity", due to its "radical solutions for revitalizing small plots owned by

1218-424: A template for reforms in Romania. According to Mezarescu, this period also saw him taking a stand against Marxism , which he opposed to "Romanianism". According to Mezarescu, this had "no logical justification", given that Goga addressed his critique to a "healthy [and] modern" capitalist society, in which Marxist postulates were "virtually unknown". The PNA and the LANC both repeatedly tried, but failed, to persuade

1305-443: A unifying factor, their shared culture transcending regional divisions. In 1935, Valjean similarly proclaimed that all classes were "subordinate to the plowmen". His PNA intended to make the smallholders key players in Romania's economy, encouraging credit unions and land purchase, as well as describing a future in which labor and its product would be more expensive; it also promised to enact agricultural dirigisme , with tools such as

1392-504: A worthy replacement for Cuza's first associate, Nicolae Paulescu , who had died after disease in 1931. Nevertheless, the new party faced immediate difficulties. A far-left antifascist, Scarlat Callimachi , noted in September 1935 that the PNC was made up from regional chapters that had no common ideological ground, the entire enterprise having been engineered by Hitler. The fusion resulted in another split: after being sidelined in favor of

1479-636: Is listed below. Standing committees and current leadership are listed below. In Romania's 2004 legislative election , held on 28 November, no party won an outright majority. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) won the largest number of seats but is currently in opposition because the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ), the Romanian Humanist Party (which later became

1566-403: Is noted by memoirist Vasile Netea, who describes Carol as performing " scissiparity " on the old parties. In January 1932, Goga had vaguely announced his bid for the PP chairmanship, while also hinting that he was prepared to leave with his partisans if his candidacy were to be rejected. On March 3, Averescu formally denounced Goga's maneuvers in a circular letter to regional affiliates, noting that

1653-561: Is the lower house in Romania 's bicameral parliament . It has 330 total seats to which deputies are elected by direct popular vote using party-list proportional representation to serve four-year terms. Additionally, the organisation of each national ethnic minority is entitled to a seat in the Chamber (under the limitation that a national minority is to be represented by one organisation only). The ( Romanian : Biroul Permanent )

1740-474: Is the body elected by the deputies that rules the Chamber. Its president is the President of the Chamber , who is elected for a whole legislature (usually four years). All the other members are elected at the beginning of each parliamentary session . The Chamber of Deputies in Romania is chosen through a democratic process, where all citizens have an equal opportunity to vote freely and privately. It serves as

1827-619: The Army and designating a plenipotentiary prime minister Conducător ("Leader"). On 23 August 1944, with the Soviet Army already deep inside Romania's territory , Michael I deposed the German -allied dictator Ion Antonescu at the urging of the opposition parties and aligned the country with the Allies . Helped by the presence of Soviet forces, communists gradually took control of

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1914-523: The Banat : Sebastian Bornemisa , Eugen P. Barbul, Laurian Gabor, and Petru Nemoianu. This remained "the most painful" of all schisms endured by the PP. On April 10, 1932, this dissidence held its congress at Rio Cinema, Bucharest . Its first presidium included Lupaș, General Constantin Iancovescu , Stan Ghițescu , Ilie Rădulescu, and Iancu Isvoranu; Goga was reconfirmed as People's Party chairman, before

2001-583: The Budjak , "managed to attract many of his brethren to the party." PNA sections in Bukovina were led by Petro Ivanciuc, Andriv Zemliuc and Necolai Palli, who were probably Ukrainian . Goga also had contacts within the Romani community , including activist Gheorghe A. Lăzăreanu-Lăzurică , who acted as an electoral agent for both the PNA and the Iron Guard. PNA politico Rădulescu was allegedly of Romani origin, and

2088-468: The Kingdom of Italy made Goga "enthusiastic" and "completed [his] political evolution". Goga himself claimed that he had made Benito Mussolini be less supportive of Hungarian irredentism, by reminding him of the "blood kinship" between Romanians and Italians. It was at this stage that Goga began openly praising Italian fascism as the paragon of the "new psychology", while using its administrative laws as

2175-621: The League Against Usury ). It still existed ahead of a general election in December 1937 , when it ran under a "T" logo, the old PNA symbol having been withdrawn and made unavailable for use. On December 20, just ahead of the vote, it agreed to merge into the National Liberal Party, which Valjean had identified as a "guarantee for the country's future". The Goga group continued to have autonomous existence within

2262-557: The League of Nations and its system of peace treaties, the PNA made a slow move into Germany's orbit. In its electoral program of 1933, the party removed all reference to the toleration of national minorities, and proposed measures to supervise them, and in particular their "ideological imports". Nonetheless, in March 1933, the Nazi agent of influence, Friedrich Weber, described Goga as a "man of

2349-598: The Romanian People's Republic following Michael I 's forced abdication . The state had been internationally recognized as a principality since 1862, after the creation of the United Principalities , a personal union between Moldavia and Wallachia , at that time vassal states of the Ottoman Empire . Alexander I became domnitor (ruling prince) after the official unification of

2436-442: The "playboy king" never returned to Romania. The kingdom of Romania was a constitutional monarchy for most of its existence with the exception of 1938–1944, during the dictatorships of Carol II (1938–1940) and Ion Antonescu (1940–1944). On 23 August 1944, Michael I restored the last democratic royal Constitution of 1923 . However, during his second reign (1940–1947), Michael I reigned mostly as an extraconstitutional king, without

2523-467: The 2004 elections, several deputies from the PSD switched to other parties (including the governing Justice and Truth Alliance ) or became independents, with the total number of PSD seats being reduced from 113 to 105. The number of Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) deputies also increased from 112 to 118, making it the largest formation in parliament as of October 2006. This changed again in December 2006, leaving

2610-638: The Assembly by taking the second seat in Năsăud County , with 2,069 votes. According to Netea's first-hand account, Goga's victory was hard-won: peasants rounded up to mock him during his campaign tour at Deda . Speaking for his party, Ghițescu accused Premier Vaida of having falsified the vote. The PNA chose not to compete in the by-elections of September, announcing that it was too caught up organizing its base. Vaida's paper, Gazeta Transilvaniei , ridiculed this decision, noting that Goga had been "shamed" and

2697-676: The Conservative Party), and the National Minorities formed a governing coalition, giving it 177 seats in the Chamber of Deputies (47.9% of the total). The Conservative Party (PC) withdrew in December 2006, meaning that the government lost the majority in the Chamber of Deputies. In April 2007, then national liberal Prime Minister, Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu , dismissed the Democratic Party ministers from

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2784-528: The Deputies' Assembly. According to Valjean's own recollections, he was recruited by the PNA together with the "independent liberal group", which he had established as a parliamentary party . Three other prominent Averescu supporters, Leon Scridon , Silviu Dragomir and Ioan Lupaș , also joined Goga during his departure. Early defectors also included a large part of the PP eminences in Transylvania and

2871-617: The Goga–Cuza rapprochement. The final merger was also partly motivated by Cuza's political calculations, since the LANC had only taken 4.5% of the vote in 1933. Claiming to represent "100,000 partisans" throughout Greater Romania, the National Agrarianists held their second and final congress on April 7, 1935, again at Rio Cinema. On July 14, the PNA merged with the LANC to form the National Christian Party ,

2958-567: The Iron Guard into a merger. King Carol also proposed that the Guard be co-opted into a government coalition of "national forces", centered on the PP and the PNA. This tendency was curbed by Premier Duca, who outlawed the Guard. Goga and the PNA reacted with public protests, viewing the measure as unwarranted. In part, this was because the PNA leadership sensed that Duca would next target them. Reportedly, after Duca's assassination by Guardist Nicadori , Goga sent boots as gifts to all those convicted for

3045-425: The PNA ideology as "within the coordinates of interwar bourgeois democracy". However, according to scholar Irina Livezeanu , Goga was in the process of migrating "across the conservative-radical divide". National Peasantist Nicolae Carandino , who was a political reporter in the 1930s, describes his disappointment with witnessing Goga's transition into a "politician and by no means a statesman". According to Carandino,

3132-407: The PNA leader had "no politically autonomous values", and was essentially a "high-end prostitute". While reaching out to the far-right, the PNA remained staunchly monarchist—according to Heinen, Goga was a " national conservative " among the "Carlists". The National Agrarians adopted Dumnezeu, Patrie, Rege ("God, Fatherland, King") as their slogan, a rallying cry already associated with Goga before

3219-649: The PNA leadership to establish a coalition, conditioned on Goga toning down his nationalism; Goga refused. The PNA leader was also dissatisfied with the details of the offer, and in particular with Duca's history as an anti-Carlist. Discarding such mainstream arrangements, the PNA issued press releases referring to the Duca team as a clientele of the Jewry. Before the December 1933 election in Romania , Germany had come under Nazi control . The PNA found itself intensely courted by

3306-527: The PNA–PNȚ conflict: Goga castigated his adversaries for their alleged grafting during the " Škoda Affair ", which had profited the Polish industrialist Bruno Seletzky . However, Minuț notes, Goga was "contradictory" even at this late stage, sometimes stating his belief in the minorities' integration, but often decrying their participation in public life. The PNA nevertheless had various Jewish affiliates, including

3393-528: The PNC in February 1938. Carol's eventual recall of the PNC cabinet that same month inaugurated a monarchist dictatorship: the 1938 Constitution proclaimed a corporate state, and all political parties were dissolved. However, the PNC was allowed to function on Carol's orders, with the hope that it could emerge as the country's mass party. The embittered Goga left the country and, having personally witnessed Germany's annexation of Austria , expressed support for

3480-492: The PNC's electoral agent. Goga himself became more explicitly antisemitic. Appointed Carol's Prime Minister after the 1937 election, he introduced a set of antisemitic laws . However, he continued to view himself as a moderate, censuring PNC radicals—including Gheorghe Cuza , who took pride in fomenting violence. Virulent antisemitism was also embraced by the Romani caucus of Craiova, whose leader, Lăzăreanu-Lăzurică, finally joined

3567-491: The PNC, notably by serving as the more Carlist branch, and therefore more directly supported by the king. It was itself weakened by defections—described by Mezarescu as "the logical consequence" of Goga's antisemitic turn. Of the PNA moderates, Lupaș no longer joined the PNC, whereas his colleague Dragomir did. Tudor Vianu left before the unification and the adoption of full-on antisemitism, with his brother resigning in 1935; by contrast, Streitman remained an outside ally, serving as

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3654-624: The PNȚ, the FRN was implicitly hostile toward Cuza's ideology. As a preliminary step, it recruited heavily among UCN representatives. King of Romania The King of Romania ( Romanian : Regele României ) or King of the Romanians (Romanian: Regele Românilor ) was the title of the monarch of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when the Romanian Workers' Party proclaimed

3741-471: The PNȚ. The PNA understood administrative reform to be necessary, but would only commit itself to projects which would befit "national unity as an instinct". The party's stances evidenced Goga's conversion to antisemitism, which he had not explicitly embraced before 1932; within that framework, Goga was arguing that Jews were endorsing " Magyarization " in Transylvania. However, already in the 1910s Goga

3828-529: The PSD with 107 seats and the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) with 101. Since April 2007 the Justice and Truth Alliance (DA) has split leaving the two former members with 51 respectively 50 members. Deputies elected to the European Parliament in the 2007 election resigned, thus reducing the number of deputies to 314 as of 4 December 2007. A new election was held in 2008. The table below gives

3915-651: The People's Party, collaborated mostly with two other anti-establishment groups: the Georgist Liberals and the Lupist Peasantists . The PNA was able to absorb some National Peasantist sections, primarily in Bucharest and Transylvania . The PNA registered its best result nationally in the December 1933 election , when it took 4.1% of the vote. Despite its relative insignificance, its leader Goga

4002-564: The Vianus, who probably believed that membership would complement their assimilation , and journalist Henric Streitman , who was primarily motivated by anticommunism. While Tudor Vianu co-chaired the PNA Studies Circle, alongside Petrovici, Streitman was appointed on the PNA's Executive Committee. They were joined by Jewish philosopher Iosif Brucăr , but only briefly. As Brucăr explained years later, he had resigned upon learning what

4089-482: The administration. On 30 December 1947, King Michael I was forced to sign his abdication. The same day, Parliament proclaimed the country a people's republic. The young former king and former queen mother Elena were forced to leave Romania on January 3, 1948, in the royal train, at the request of the communist-dominated government . Royal properties were nationalized later that year. After the Revolution of 1989 ,

4176-926: The central party organ, with another party newspaper of the same name appearing at Buzău . While establishing itself regionally, Goga's party took over or established several regional newspapers: Cuvântul Poporului , put out by Elie Mărgeanu of Sibiu ; Agrarul Vâlcei , published by Dumitru Zeana in Râmnicu Vâlcea ; Cârma Vremii of Iași and Chemarea of Vaslui ; as well as two sheets in Brăila and Constanța , both named Brazda Nouă . PNA cadres included four important figures in Romania's commercial and industrial life, who, as Netea writes, were especially treasured by Goga. These were Ghițescu, Tilică Ioanid , I. D. Enescu, and Leon Gigurtu. The group also reached out of its PP constituency, and had traction among people not previously involved in party politics, such as Virgil Molin ,

4263-647: The circle used by a more democratic agrarian group, the National Peasants' Party (PNȚ). Transylvanian defectors from the PNȚ initially organized some of the PNA branches, but, in June 1932, returned to their old party. More dedicated support came from the former PNȚ chapters in Ilfov County and the "Black" (northeastern) sector of Bucharest , which were absorbed into Goga's new movement. Țara Noastră , put out from Transylvania by Ion Gorun , endured as

4350-444: The community of experts. Nicholas Nagy-Talavera viewed Goga as a "bourgeois fascist", but his assessment was challenged by Heinen, according to whom the PNA's "radical nationalism" was "entirely devoid of that revolutionary pathos which set apart all the fascist parties." Overall, "too many PNA members were still tied to the People's Party directives in both manners and ideas of political combat." Researcher Ion Mezarescu likewise viewed

4437-478: The core of Romania's potential for export, in tandem with the Romanianization of labor and capital. Its leadership promised to suspend payments on Romania's external debt ; in exchange, it promised a tax reform that would benefit both local and foreign investors. Goga's agrarianism was identified as the main point of attraction by recruits such as Dumitru Topciu ; it rested on the notion that peasants were

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4524-604: The fact that only a few years earlier he had renounced in official documents, written and signed in front of his own father, all his future claims to the throne of Romania). After a ten-year rule, Carol II was forced to give up his crown in the wake of an outcry over the Second Vienna Award , which forced Romania to surrender northern Transylvania to Hungary. After the war, he married his longtime mistress, Elena Lupescu . The couple ultimately settled in Portugal, and

4611-578: The following moths, Goga tried to fuse into his party the Lupists and Radical Peasantists , as well as the Agrarian League . In mid 1935, Goga also approached Vaida's new far-right party, called Romanian Front (FR), with offers of alliance or merger. Reportedly, Goga offered to fuse the PNA group into the FR, asking that he be assigned vice-chairmanship; Vaida refused, since he had promised that role to

4698-461: The former king visited Romania to an enthusiastic reception in the streets of Bucharest ; the royal estates and properties in Romania were restored. However, the country preserved its republican character. The former king was respected and recognized by the Parliament. His grandson regularly visits different organisations in Romania. Princess Margareta and her husband bestow royal orders in

4785-477: The future", one who could bring Hitler's ideology to Romania. A far-right politico, Nae Ionescu , allegedly regarded Goga as a potential Prime Minister of an Iron Guard cabinet. According to this version, Goga was tasked with enacting the "Hitlerian" program, including antisemitism and anti-Masonry . This pronouncement anticipated Goga's own departure from the Romanian Freemasonry , of which he

4872-721: The government and formed a minority government with the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, marking the end of the Justice and Truth Alliance. During the 2004–2008 legislature, the president of the Chamber of Deputies was Bogdan Olteanu from the National Liberal Party (PNL), who was elected on 20 March 2006, after the Chamber's former president, Adrian Năstase , was forced by his own party (the Social Democratic Party , PSD) to step down amidst corruption allegations. After

4959-440: The issue of debt relief . Goga wanted most of the small- and mid-sized plots to be cleared of debt with state support, and wanted to extend that principle to public debt held by urban localities. He also wanted communes to exercise more control over local tribunals. Such proposals were balanced out by the PNA's adversity toward decentralizing projects, in which Goga saw evidence of pushes for Transylvanian autonomism, as endorsed by

5046-617: The list for Cahul , while Manole ran second to Teodor Tcaciuc in Storojineț . The 1932 performance was closely mirrored in this second national race, when the PNA managed 4.2%, with its family of parties again at 9%. Such results proved well below Goga's expectations, and widely acknowledged as a sign that the Romanian electorate had not been persuaded by the tenets of radical nationalism—the party leader himself noted that propaganda had been "inefficient". The PNA had nine mandates: Goga, Scridon, Ioanid and Ghițescu held on to their seats; Valjean

5133-460: The monarchy, the [National] Liberals, [the Jewish businessman] Aristide Blank , or anyone else who would have hired him." In 1931, Goga was still reassuring his readers that he was not an antisemite. According to Minuț, his subsequent drift was a consequence of his taking money from antisemitic industrialists, and in particular from Ion Gigurtu . Xenophobic radicalization was additionally enhanced by

5220-654: The more radical Iron Guard. The three parties had 9% of the vote in the July 1932 election , with the PNA itself at 3.64% (or 4% and 108,857 ballots, in Minuț's count). The leading candidates included Dragomir, Ghițescu, Gorun, Ioanid, Lupaș, Nemoianu, Scridon, Topciu, Valjean, Sergiu Niță , I. C. Atanasiu, as well as the party leader and his brother Eugen Goga . Eight were elected, including Octavian Goga for Mureș , Ioanid for Mehedinți, Ghițescu for Teleorman , Pavel Guciujna for Orhei , and Valjean for Romanați ; Scridon also entered

5307-817: The more radical movements. The PNA tried but failed to unite with the Iron Guard and the Romanian Front , finally merging with the slightly more powerful National-Christian Defense League in July 1935. The resulting National Christian Party (PNC) offered a venue for conservative antisemites with fascist sympathies, but was rejected by PNA moderates, as well as by some of the League's radicals. A splinter group, led by Ion Al. Vasilescu-Valjean and centered on Romanați County , continued to call itself PNA, surviving to December 1937. Briefly serving as Prime Minister, Goga

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5394-452: The murder. PNA deputies publicly called for an end to the anti-Guard wave of arrests, suggesting that it was unjustified. By 1934, Goga was exchanging letters with the Guard's leader, Corneliu Zelea Codreanu , who promised him backing for a PNA government. Nevertheless, according to writer Al. Gherghel , in August 1933 the PNA still viewed itself as standing against "right- and left-wing extremes", its platform one of "moderate progress". Over

5481-456: The name of the former king for selected Romanians. The royal house is still popular and in 2014 Prime Minister Victor Ponta promised a referendum on whether or not to reinstate the monarchy if he were re-elected. A square was named in honour of the ex-king in 2012. Following the death of the former king in 2017, and the largely positive reaction of the crowds to the royal family at his funeral, Romanian politicians have discussed whether to hold

5568-421: The new regime, which pursued Eastern European alliances. Goga was a regular guest at the German Legation, and accepted offers for collaboration; however, he also insisted that Nazi Germany vouch for Greater Romania's borders. During those months, the PNA, represented by Valjean, joined the "Antirevisionist League", a civic movement for the Little Entente and against Hungarian irredentism . Formally supportive of

5655-600: The party actually stood for. Another leading party figure was Jewish businessman Leon Preiss, who chaired the PNA section in Bucharest's Black Sector and, in 1932, still referred to Goga as a friend of the Jews. Boldea, who now chaired the PNA section in Caraș, was married to a Bosnian Catholic woman of German, Italian, and possibly Jewish ancestry. The party remained open to other ethnic minorities: its branch in Durostor County , organized by M. Magiari and Pericle Papahagi , counted Turks , Bulgarians and Aromanians among its members; Topciu, an ethnic Gagauz from Tomai in

5742-428: The party campaigned for widening the suffrage, primarily by allowing women to vote ; to this end, the wives of PNA eminences created their own "women circles", which also took up the task of promoting social hygiene in rural areas. In time, the PNA adopted another slogan: Rod mult, bun și cu preț ("More, better, valuable bearings"). This notion reflected its commitment to an agrarian economy, which Goga identified as

5829-415: The party changed names. The "PNA" name was adopted hours later, following a motion submitted by deputy D. D. Burileanu—having been first submitted for discussion a week earlier, during a more private meeting of party leaders. The group registered as its electoral symbol "two dots within a circumference", sometimes described as a circle with "two eyes". Whether intentionally or not, this symbol closely resembled

5916-402: The party elite. As noted by his philosopher grandson, Virgil Nemoianu , though Boldea agreed to join the PNC, his "inclination toward Germany clashed with his antipathy toward [Hitler's] vulgarity and cruelty." Valjean's own National Agrarian Party, centered on Romanați, counted among its members poet Horia Furtună , sculptor Dumitru Pavelescu-Dimo , and businessman Sterie Ionescu (formerly of

6003-445: The party shortly after. As Heinen notes, the PNA was one of several groups channeling popular discontent following the Great Depression ; it was also the most authentic, and a "remarkable force." Historian Stanley G. Payne describes the splinter group as authoritarian nationalist and "rightist", or "rather more overtly right radical" than Mihail Manoilescu 's own dissident faction. The issue of its labeling has caused some disputes in

6090-423: The party's formation. The group's rejection of democracy had its roots in Goga's 1927 book, Mustul care fierbe ("The Frothing Must"), which argued that the masses needed a "moral eminence" to "inspire in them tranquility and safety." The PNA suggested modifying Romania's Constitution of 1923 , reducing Parliament to an "orderly and useful instrument", reformed around a corporative representation . Simultaneously,

6177-440: The peasants". However, as argued by researchers Cornel Popescu and George Daniel Ungureanu, the PNA was agrarian "in name", and had a mostly right-wing program. While seeking ways to improve the peasants' economic status, the party pledged itself to administrative reform and a full clampdown on corruption. By October 1932, its deputies were engaged in a public confrontation with the PNȚ cabinet, headed by Alexandru Vaida-Voevod , over

6264-439: The principality was elevated to a kingdom in 1881, with Carol I becoming King of Romania. Carol I died in 1914, and was succeeded by his nephew, Ferdinand I . In 1927, Ferdinand I died, and the country was left in the care of a regency headed by Prince Nicholas of Romania , during the reign of Ferdinand's young grandson, Michael I (who was only six years old at the time), his father ( Carol II ) having renounced his rights to

6351-760: The schism. Following this confrontation, Goga announced he would take on the "painful task" of leaving Averescu's group. As noted by scholar Armin Heinen, the National Agrarians' genesis coincided with the parallel rise of the Nazi Party in Weimar Germany : the PNA began organizing during Weimar's presidential election , in which Adolf Hitler came second. Goga's "general staff" included former minister Ion Petrovici , alongside Ion Al. Vasilescu-Valjean and C. Brăescu, who had been Vice Presidents of

6438-546: The state of play before the 2008 election; parties in bold were part of the governing coalition. That coalition was tacitly supported by the PSD. Elections to the Chamber of Deputies were held on 26 November 2000, in which the Social Democratic Party of Romania (PSD) won plurality. The governing majority was formed from the PSD and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ), which, with 182 members, made up 54.8% of seats. The president of

6525-627: The students in terms of social rejuvenation, and noted that violent antisemitism was perhaps an "incorrect slogan". During the elections of 1926 , Goga, as Minister of the Interior , had obtained favors for A. C. Cuza 's National-Christian Defense League (LANC), which was virulently antisemitic. However, his assistance proved a moderating influence, obliging Cuza to purge the LANC of radicals such as Ion Zelea Codreanu , Valer Pop , and Traian Brăileanu . While commenting on Goga's political duplicity, Carandino argued that he "was just as ready to serve

6612-400: The throne in 1925. Carol II, unlike Carol I, in the beginning had no desire to rule Romania, and was frequently out of the country exploring the rest of Europe with his mistress. Michael's first reign would be short lived at only three years, until his father Carol II came back to contest the title at the behest of a dissatisfied political faction that staged a sudden ' coup d'état ' (in spite of

6699-506: The two formerly separate states, being elected prince of both states in 1859. He was deposed in 1866 by a broad coalition of the main political parties, after which parliament offered the throne to Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen who subsequently became the new "Domnitor of Romania" (as Carol I ). Romania's independence from the Ottoman Empire was recognized in 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin . In an expression of full sovereignty ,

6786-509: Was also able to absorb more moderate sections of the PP, leaving Averescu's group severely weakened. Averescu and his colleague, Grigore Trancu-Iași , fought back by asking for all dissidents still holding seats in the Assembly of Deputies to be deposed. This proposal was eventually defeated by a vote, during which the National Liberal Party voted in Goga's favor. Goga's party originated with

6873-586: Was also elected, but for Caraș, with Petrovici taking his post in Romanați. Topciu also won a seat, at Tighina , while physician Gheorghe Banu was elected at Ialomița . Another new recruit, Vasile Goldiș , failed to win the race for Arad , as did Ion Demetrescu-Agraru in Baia , while Lupaș lost at Sibiu and Nemoianu at Severin . Overall, the PNA had some 122,000 votes, which was enough to earn it an extra seat. As historian Francisco Veiga notes, visits to Germany and

6960-436: Was asked to step down by Carol II, whose 1938 Constitution introduced a royal dictatorship. Goga died soon after; although the PNC was not repressed under the new regime, it suffered an internal crisis, with PNA men establishing a Union of National Awareness. Both it and other PNC factions were then absorbed by Carol's National Renaissance Front . The party emerged with a split in the more mainstream People's Party (PP), which

7047-470: Was attending Romani congresses in a private capacity. Such issues highlighted the schism between the two Romani organizations, respectively led by Lăzăreanu and Calinic Șerboianu . At the time, Șerboianu accused his rival of being Goga's puppet. According to Heinen, the PNA can be grouped into an "antisemitic [and] markedly right-wing" segment, alongside the LANC and the Citizen Bloc —but distinct from

7134-426: Was led by General Alexandru Averescu . This followed a major dispute between Averescu and Goga, prompted by the latter's unconditional support for Carol II, who had taken the throne under disputed circumstances in 1930. Historian Adolf Minuț argues that Carol personally intervened to create a rift between the two men, this being one of a "web of Carlist machinations" to isolate his constitutionalist adversaries. The same

7221-533: Was modelling himself on Karl Lueger , Cisleithania 's antisemitic doctrinaire; Lueger's influence also reached directly to other PNA affiliates, including Boldea. In the 1920s, Goga's Țara Noastră had expressed sympathy with the growing antisemitic trend among students, and indirectly with the Iron Guard . In Mustul care fierbe , Goga further hinted that Jews were to blame for the ills of modernity. He voiced alarm about Greater Romania being invaded by "parasites" and "guess... who". However, he framed his support for

7308-581: Was not risking further embarrassment. The National Agrianists had by then cultivated a relationship with two other splinter groups of the classical parties: the Georgist Liberal Party and the Lupist Peasantists . It developed into a working alliance, though Valjean went public with his criticism of the Georgists' republican tendencies. Preparing for a foreseeable PNȚ downfall, the PNA held large-scale rallies announcing its preparedness for government. In April, at Caracal , Goga hinted that Carol

7395-560: Was often perceived as a likely contender for the office of Prime Minister . The PNA had contacts in Nazi Germany , who regarded it as a political ally. While cautious about the Nazis' take on international politics, Goga traveled to Berlin in late 1933, meeting Adolf Hitler and returning as an enthusiastic admirer. Moving closer to the far-right and abandoning his own membership in the Romanian Freemasonry , Goga sought alliances with

7482-468: Was seriously considering forming a PNA cabinet. On June 26, addressing a crowd gathered outside Târgoviște , he announced his contempt for the PNȚ, describing its leader, Iuliu Maniu , as "responsible for all misfortunes that have fallen upon this country." In December 1933, Carol asked Vaida to step down, and the National Liberals took over, with Ion G. Duca at the helm. Duca then approached

7569-783: Was still a member in summer 1933. In September, Goga and Colonel Ștefan Tătărescu of the Romanian National Socialist Party (PNSR) were both received by Hitler in Berlin . In November, while campaigning in Bessarabia , the Colonel was seized by the local police. Consequently, he and Cicerone Manole, who had led the Bukovina Nazi cell, were put up as PNA candidates for the Assembly—Tătărescu headed

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