The Social Liberal Humanist Party (, PUSL), formerly Humanist Power Party (Social-Liberal) (, PPU-SL) is a

centrist Centrism is the range of political ideologies that exist between left-wing politics and right-wing politics on the left–right political spectrum. It is associated with moderate politics, including people who strongly support moderate policie ...

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, ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

. It was founded in 2015 by members of the Conservative Party (PC) who did not want to merge with the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR), led by

Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu Călin Constantin Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu (; born 14 January 1952) is a Romanian politician who served as Prime Minister of Romania, prime minister of Romania from 2004 to 2008. He was also president of the National Liberal Party (Romania), Na ...

History

In the summer of 2015, the Conservative Party (PC), led by Daniel Constantin, merged with the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR), creating the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE). At the same time, PC MEP

Maria Grapini Maria Grapini (born 7 November 1954) is a Romanian businesswoman and politician. She served as the Deputy Minister in the Second Ponta cabinet. Since 2014, Grapini has been a Member of the European Parliament for the Progressive Alliance of So ...

opposed this decision, criticizing the disappearance of the party's ideology and announced that she would join a new group, the Party of Humanist Power (PPU).

Ideology

When it launched in 2015, the party claimed to have a centre-right political doctrine. Later, the party began to reject the

left-right political spectrum Left and right or left–right may refer to: * Left and right directions, body relative directions in terms of an observer * Left and right as designating different chirality, chiralities, independent of an observer (as in left glove, left-eyed fl ...

, promoting

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The me ...

and traditional values as the third way. The departure of several people from the

People's Movement Party The People's Movement Party (, PMP) is an extra-parliamentary national-conservative and social conservative political party in Romania. History The PMP was created as a political foundation in March 2013 by supporters of then incumbent sta ...

into the Social Liberal Humanist Party strengthened the conservative outlook of the party. The party also has populist rhetoric centered around its leader,

Cristian Popescu Piedone Cristian Victor Popescu Piedone (born 15 February 1963) is a Romanian businessman and politician who served as mayor of Bucharest's Sector 4 from 2008 until 4 November 2015, when he resigned following the Colectiv nightclub fire and the subsequ ...

. PUSL member

Nicolae Păun Nicolae Păun may refer to: * Nicolae Păun (politician) * Nicolae Păun (footballer) {{hndis, Paun, Nicolae ...

claimed that the party promotes

humanist Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

and

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

values.

Notable members

Dan Voiculescu Dan Voiculescu (; born September 25, 1946), also known as ''"Varanul"'', lit. 'the Monitor lizard', or "Felix Voiculescu", is a Romanian politician and businessman. He is the founder and former president of the Romanian Humanist Party (PUR), la ...

Lavinia Șandru Marcela Lavinia Șandru (born 6 February 1975) is a Romanian politician, journalist and actress. The former president of the National Initiative Party (PIN), she was also vice president of the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR). Sh ...

* Vlad Popescu *

Liviu Pop Liviu-Marian Pop (born 10 May 1974) is a Romanian politician. He was a very controversial Romanian interim Education Minister in the cabinet of Victor Ponta. He played a significant role during the plagiarism controversy involving Prime Minist ...

* Mugur Ciuvică *

Nicolae Păun Nicolae Păun may refer to: * Nicolae Păun (politician) * Nicolae Păun (footballer) {{hndis, Paun, Nicolae ...

Liviu Negoiță Liviu Gheorghe Negoiță (born 22 March 1962) is a Romanian politician and lawyer, member of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and the former mayor of Bucharest's Sector 3. Biography Born in Brăila, Negoiță completed his law degree in 199 ...

Gheorghe Ștefan Gheorghe Ștefan (István Görgicze, seldom referred to as ''Burduja''; died 1668) was the voivode (prince) of Moldavia between 13 April and 8 May 1653, and again from 16 July 1653 to 13 March 1658; he was the son of boyar Dumitrașcu Ceaur; G ...

Teodor Meleșcanu Teodor Viorel Meleșcanu (; born 10 March 1941) is a Romanian politician, diplomat, and jurist. He served as Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Romania (SIE) between 2012 and 2014. He was a three times senator on behalf of the Na ...

Controversy

In 2018, former

Sector 4 Sector 4 () is an administrative unit of Bucharest. Economy Romavia had its head office in Sector 4.Contact
"

join PPU and reentered politics, having previously been prosecuted for the

Colectiv nightclub fire A nightclub fire which occurred in Bucharest, Romania, on 30 October 2015 killed 64 people (26 on site, 38 in hospitals) and injured 146. The fire was caused by a fireworks accident and is the deadliest such incident in Romanian history. It occ ...

back in 2015. He was accounted responsible and in 2019 sentenced to 8 years in prison, but the sentence was not decisive and was attacked by the

Bucharest Court of Appeal Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

. With all the legal problems and controversy surrounding Piedone, PPU still endorsed him as candidate in the

2016 Romanian local elections Local elections were held in Romania on 5 June 2016. Using a first past the post system, the following were contested: * All the commune, town, and city councils (Local Councils, ), and the Sectors Local Councils of Bucharest (); * The 41 County ...

for mayor of

Sector 4 Sector 4 () is an administrative unit of Bucharest. Economy Romavia had its head office in Sector 4.Contact
"

2020 Romanian local elections Local elections were held in Romania on 27 September 2020. Initially planned for June 2020, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led the Government of Romania to postpone the elections to a date no later than 31 December 2020, and extending al ...

for mayor of

Sector 5 Sector 5 () is an administrative unit of Bucharest. Quarters * 13 Septembrie * Cotroceni * Ferentari * Ghencea * Giurgiului * Odăi * Rahova * Sălaj Politics From 2020 until May 2022, the mayor of the sector was Cristian Popescu Piedo ...

, winning the latter. PUSL has also been labeled by the press as

's personal party, who has been described as the ''de facto'' leader of the party.

Electoral history

Legislative elections

Notes: ¹ The MPs were elected on the PSD and ALDE lists. ² The MPs were elected on the PSD list.

Local elections

National results

Mayor of Bucharest

Note:
¹ Gabriela Firea ( PSD candidate) was endorsed by PPU.

Presidential elections

European elections

References

External links

{{Romanian political parties 2015 establishments in Romania Centre-right parties in Europe Centrist parties in Romania Conservative parties in Romania Humanist Party Liberal parties in Romania Political parties established in 2015 Populist parties Registered political parties in Romania Social conservative parties