Romanian Humanist Party

The Romanian Humanist Party (Romanian: Partidul Umanist Român, PUR) is a Romanian centrist political party.

The doctrine held by the party is Social liberalism (i.e. Humanism), and its centrist position allows it to forge alliances either with the right wing or the left wing of Romanian politics.

It was founded in December 1991 and is currently led by Dan Voiculescu, a controversial businessman. Voiculescu also owns an important media chain comprising top-ranking TV channel Antena 1 and the newspapers Jurnalul Naţional and Gazeta Sporturilor .

As a result of the 2004 legislative election, PUR entered the Parliament thanks to its electoral alliance with PSD, the governing social-democratic party. Up to the 2004 elections, the two parties were part of the same parliamentary group, despite PUR's contestation of PSD's policies. In the local elections of June 2004, PUR managed to win in one important city (Bacău), though the mayor later switched to the PNL.

Despite having entered the Parliament in an alliance with PSD, PUR later joined the new Romanian government headed by Călin Popescu Tăriceanu of the opposing Justice and Truth alliance.

PUR has gained a reputation for ruthlessness and lack of loyalty on the political scene. Their media outlets, Antena 1 and Jurnalul Naţional, were used several times to praise their allies, or to thrash their opponents (whoever they were at that particular moment), especially in the months leading to the 2004 local, legislative and presidential elections.

Notable members

• Dan Voiculescu - founder and president
• Codruţ Şereş
• George Copos

External links

• PUR official site
• Evenimentul zilei article on PUR (Romnanian)