The National Union for the Progress of Romania is a political party in Romania. The party was formed in March 2010 by independents who had broken away from the Social Democratic Party and National Liberal Party to support President Traian Băsescu. Tension began soon after the party's formation between former PSD and PNL members over the distribution of leadership positions and the political direction of the new party, with former PSD members dominating. The first party congress to elect its leaders was on 1 May 2010. On 12 July 2016, former President Traian Băsescu announced that UNPR would merge with his People's Movement Party on 20 July 2016, but the process failed and Gabriel Oprea reorganised the party in June 2018.
History
In 2009, parliamentarians from PSD, PNL, and other organizations left their political parties to support President Traian Băsescu. They formed the parliamentary group of independents, led by Senator Gabriel Oprea. Afterward, Oprea was named Minister of Administration and Interior. In 2010, the majority of the group formed UNPR. On 1 May 2010, the new party elected its leaders, by Congress. Allied with the PDL and UDMR, UNPR participated in government until 2012. At the first party congress held in May 2010, Marian Sârbu was elected president. In 2011, the National Initiative Party merged into the Union. PIN's president, Lavinia Șandru, became UNPR's vice-president but later resigned from the party citing its lack of support for her ecologist policies. In 2012, the government led by Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu was dismissed by motion of censure and UNPR passed in opposition. On 28 May 2012, Sârbu stepped down as party leader. Following Sârbu's resignation, Gabriel Oprea was elected UNPR president. UNPR later formed with PSD, with the Center-Left Alliance included in the Social Liberal Union. Cristian Diaconescu, a founding member of UNPR, honorary president and former Minister of External Affairs, resigned from the union after the party changed sides and entered the Social Liberal Union. He is an independent with close ties to the right-wing conservative former President of Romania, Traian Băsescu, who appointed him as leader of the Presidential Chancellery in March 2012. In the Romanian Parliamentary elections of December 2012, UNPR won in alliance with PSD, PNL, and PC with 10 seats in the House of Deputies and five in the Senate. Because the party lacks the necessary number of seats to form a distinct parliamentary group, their parliamentarians joined the group of the Social Democratic Party. They voted for the government led by Prime Minister Victor Ponta. Oprea has served as deputy prime minister since 2013. On 29 June 2015, the party absorbed the People's Party – Dan Diaconescu.
Doctrine
UNPR's doctrine is social-democratic with shades of progressivism. The union is against right wing policies, conservative and neo-conservative. The union's self reported doctrine is "progressive left-wing" with social-democratic orientation. UNPR believes in a new political and economic order, based on consolidation of the market economy, in an "active state" that protects citizens and human rights. The union considers itself a progressive party. UNPR strongly supports significant wealth tax and fair taxes. UNPR's platform also includes the decentralization of Romania. The union supports public order.
Structure
The president acts as the union's governing body; he represents the party in political conversations and parliament. The president has large powers in the union and is helped by the standing Bureau of the Union.
