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2012 Romanian constitutional crisis

Results
Votes  %
Yes 7,403,836 88.70%
No 943,375 11.30%
Valid votes 8,347,211 98.68%
Invalid or blank votes 111,842 1.32%
Total votes 8,459,053 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 18,292,464 46.24%
Source: Romanian Electoral Commission
2012 Romania civil unrest
Part of 2012 Romanian protests
Univ Sq Anti-Băsescu protests and factory fire 5-7-12 02.jpg
A rally in favor of President Băsescu's impeachment (University Square, Bucharest)
Date 4 June 2012 (2012-06-04) – 1 December 2012 (2012-12-01)
(5 months, 3 weeks and 6 days)
Location Romania Bucharest, Alexandria, Arad, Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Deva, Iași, Oradea, Pitești, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Sibiu, Slatina, Târgu Jiu, Timișoara
Belgium Brussels
France Paris
Germany Berlin
Netherlands The Hague
Spain Madrid
United Kingdom London
Causes
  • Invalidation of the referendum
  • Traian Băsescu's reinstatement
  • Reactions and statements of the European leaders
Goals
  • Resignation of President Traian Băsescu
  • Resignation of CCR judges
Methods
Status Ended
Parties to the civil conflict
Lead figures
Number
117,200
(incl. political rallies)
35,250+
Casualties and arrests
Deaths: 1
Injuries: 16 (1 hospitalized)
Arrests: 112

The 2012 Romanian constitutional crisis was a major political and constitutional conflict between President Traian Băsescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta of Romania. A dispute arose between the two regarding the representation of Romania to the European Council reunion of June 28, 2012. The dispute degenerated in civil disobedience and conflicting views between political parties. On 12 December 2012, Băsescu and Ponta signed an agreement on institutional cohabitation, effectively ending the crisis.

President Traian Băsescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta became locked in a constitutional judicial conflict over Romania's representation at the June 28, 2012 meeting of the European Council. President Traian Băsescu submitted a complaint to Romania's Constitutional Court in point of the conflict with Government concerning the representation on the European Council. Ponta declared to the Romanian press agency Mediafax that misconception claimed by President Băsescu to the Constitutional Court is between Presidency and Parliament, and Court judges can only determine the existence of a conflict, that can not be solved only by amending the Constitution.

Parliament plenary adopted on June 12, 2012, with 249 votes in favor, 30 against and two abstentions, a political declaration recommending that at European Council meeting on June 28 Romania to be represented by Premier Victor Ponta, not by President Traian Băsescu. That decision triggered a fierce conflict between the two Palaces. As of 2012, President Traian Băsescu sent to Premier Victor Ponta a letter which drew attention that participation in the European Council without a mandate from the President legally equalizes with ownership of a constitutional prerogatives of the President. At a press conference, Ponta broke the letter, ironically replying this gesture.

On June 27, Constitutional Court decides that the President is required to attend the European Council in Brussels. Ponta respond in a way that nobody expected. Government takes in authority the Official Monitor, delaying publication of the Constitutional Court decision, regarding participation in European Council and making the presence of Victor Ponta in Brussels to be legal.


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