National Peasants' Party

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The National Peasants' Party (Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc or PNŢ) was a Romanian political party, formed in 1926^[1] through the fusion of the Romanian National Party (Partidul Naţional Român) from Transylvania and the Peasants' Party (Partidul Ţărănesc). It was in power between 1928 and 1933, with brief interruptions. A moderately conservative party, with some left-wing corporatist views (supporting, for instance, voluntary cooperative farming), it has remained staunchly pro-monarchy^[2].

A former member, Corneliu Coposu, claimed that 270,000^[3] PNŢ members were sent to prisons and work camps, where three quarters of them perished, beginning in 1947 when the party was banned by the Communist government following the Tămădău Affair. Both party president Iuliu Maniu and deputy leader Ion Mihalache died in prison during the Communist regime.

Former PNŢ members Corneliu Coposu and Ion Raţiu founded a new party in December 1989 under the name Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party (Partidul Naţional Ţărănesc Creştin şi Democrat – PNŢCD or PNŢcd). It was the first officially registered political party after the fall of Communism.

[edit] Notable members

[edit] References

^ Ioan Scurtu, Viaţa Politică din România 1918–1914 ("Political Life in Romania 1918–1914"), Editura Albatros, Bucharest, 1982 indicates the Romanian National Party and the National Peasants' Party as the leading opposition parties coming out of the 4 January 1926 election (p.102); by 6 June 1927 there was a single merged party (p. 103).
^ (Romanian) "PNTCD gandeste revenirea la monarhie prin Printul Nicolae" ("PNTCD Mulls the Restoration of the Monarchy through Prince Nicholas"), Ziua, March 1, 2002. Accessed online 18 October 2006.
^ (Romanian) Cristian Patrasconiu, "Victime pentru Basescu: Episodul 1: Teroarea cu randament maxim" ("Victims for Băsescu - Episode 1: Maximum Efficiency Terror"), Cotidianul, October 10, 2006. Accessed online 18 October 2006.