European Elections In Romania And Electoral Threshold

The electoral cycle brings us periodically in the presence of new electoral ballots. Their importance is overwhelming in how the interests of local or national communities will be managed for a good period of time. Stagnation, prosperity, or economic, social or political regression depend on those who temporarily occupy the representative functions as they result from the establishment and validation of the election result. As far as the European Parliament elections are concerned, they took place in 2014, the next being in 2018. The question we raise is related to the electoral threshold and its necessity, given the existence of a proportional electoral system. The electoral law sets a 5% electoral threshold in Romania, and independent candidates can be assigned mandates if they each have a valid number of votes at least equal to the national electoral coefficient. The national electoral coefficient represents the full part of the ratio between the total number of votes validly expressed and the number of European parliamentary mandates belonging to Romania. Abolishing the electoral threshold would create a better representation in the European Parliament and smaller parties, and this would bring about a balance. We do not opt for its annulment, but we believe that a diminution of this electoral threshold may be a welcome legislative measure.