In Romania's 2008 legislative election, held on 30 November, no party won an outright majority. The Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) won the largest number of seats, closely followed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) + Conservative Party (PC) Alliance. It was thought that the third-placed National Liberal Party (PNL) would hold the key for the new government. It asked for the position of Prime Minister in its negotiations with the two parties.
In the end, the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and Social Democratic Party (PSD) signed a coalition agreement, with Theodor Stolojan as Prime Minister designate. Two days later, inexplicably, Stolojan renounced this designation, and was quickly replaced by Emil Boc, Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) president and still incumbent Mayor of Cluj-Napoca to this day. The National Liberal Party (PNL), Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), and the 18 Minorities Parties formed the Parliamentary Opposition.
The coalition originally had approximately 70% Parliament support, but the Social Democrats (PSD) pulled out of the coalition on 1 October 2009, in protest of the sacking of interior minister Dan Nica,BBC News, 2009-10-01. Romanian government falls apart. Retrieved 2009-10-14. and the government fell in a vote of no confidence on 13 October.BBC News, 2009-10-13. Romanian government falls on vote. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
Senate The President of the Senate for this legislature was Mircea Geoană, former president of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), between 19 December 2008 and 23 November 2011. He was replaced by Vasile Blaga on 28 November 2011. On 3 July 2012, Crin Antonescu replaced Blaga at the Senate Presidency. During Antonescu's tenure as interim President, the business of the Senate was carried by Vice President Petru Filip. Filip switched parties from the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) to the Social Democratic Party (PSD) during the no confidence vote for the Ungureanu cabinet. He also served as interim President of the Senate between the removal from office of Geoană and Blaga's election in 2011. At that time he was a PDL Vice President.
! style="text-align:center;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party ! style="text-align:center;" colspan=2 | Election seating ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | Lost ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | Won ! style="text-align:center;" colspan=2 | Present seating |- ! style="text-align:center;" | Seats ! style="text-align:center;" | % ! style="text-align:center;" | Seats ! style="text-align:center;" | %
| style="text-align:left;" | Democratic Liberal Party | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 51 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 37.22% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 19 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 35 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 25.54%
| style="text-align:left;" | Social Democratic Party | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 49 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 35.76% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 15 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 3 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 40 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 29.19%
| style="text-align:left;" | National Liberal Party | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 28 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 20.43% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 16 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 4 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 27 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 19.70%
| style="text-align:left;" | Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 9 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 6.57% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 7 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 5.10%
| style="text-align:left;" | National Union for the Progress of Romania | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 4 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 12 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 12 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 8.75%
| style="text-align:left;" | Independents | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 1.45% |- | style="background-color:#FFFFFF;" | | style="text-align:left;" colspan=5 | Vacant seats | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 14 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — |- style="background-color:#f0f0f0; font-weight:bold;" | style="text-align:right;" colspan=2 |Total | 137 | 100 | colspan=2 | — | 137 | 100
Chamber of Deputies On 19 December 2008, Roberta Anastase was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies as a member of Democratic Liberal Party (PDL). She was removed from office on 3 July 2012, and replaced by Valeriu Zgonea, Chamber Vice President at that time.
! style="text-align:center;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Parliamentary Group ! style="text-align:center;" colspan=2 | Election seating ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | Lost ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan=2 | Won ! style="text-align:center;" colspan=2 | Present |- ! style="text-align:center;" | Seats ! style="text-align:center;" | % ! style="text-align:center;" | Seats ! style="text-align:center;" | %
| style="text-align:left;" | Democratic Liberal Party | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 115 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 34.43% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 29 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 12 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 106 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 31.73%
| style="text-align:left;" | Social Democratic Party | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 114 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 34.13% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 29 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 91 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 27.24%
| style="text-align:left;" | National Liberal Party | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 65 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 19.46% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 21 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 6 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 56 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 16.76%
| style="text-align:left;" | Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 22 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 6.58% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 20 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 5.98%
| style="text-align:left;" | Ethnic minorities parties | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 18 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 5.39% | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 0 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 16 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 4.79%
| style="text-align:left;" | National Union for the Progress of Romania | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 16 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 16 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 12 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 3.59%
| style="text-align:left;" colspan=5 | Independents | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 8 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 2.39% |- | style="background-color:#FFFFFF;" | | style="text-align:left;" colspan=5 | Vacant seats | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 25 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | — |- style="background-color:#f0f0f0; font-weight:bold;" | style="text-align:right;" colspan=2| Total | 334 | 100 | colspan=2 | — | 334 | 100
During the 2009 Spring Session of the Parliament, two Inquiry Committees were constituted, along with an Inquiry Sub-Committee. One Committee was formed to examine Minister of Youth and Sport Monica Iacob-Ridzi, regarding her possible misuse of money spent on Youth Day festivities. The other investigated Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Nicolae Nemirschi, regarding the possible misuse of money spent by his Ministry on the promotion of Governmental Programs. The Sub-Committee was formed to review former Prime Minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu, regarding the possible fraudulent allocation of oil drilling rights in the Snake Island area, recently gained by Romania.
The Chamber of Deputies was called in an Extraordinary Session in July to receive the reports of the Ridzi Inquiry Committee and Tăriceanu Inquiry Sub-Committee, and the formation of a new Inquiry Committee for the Minister of Tourism, Elena Udrea, regarding the possible misuse of money spent by her Ministry on tourism ads.
By-elections
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" width=100 | Date ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" width=80 | College - Constituency ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" colspan=2 | Candidates ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" width=350 | Parties and alliances ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" | Votes ! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;" width=50 | %
! rowspan=4 | 17 January 2010 | rowspan=2 | CD 1-42 | ! style="text-align:left;" | Radu Stroe ! style="text-align:left;" | National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional Liberal) ! style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 7,625 ! style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 70.17%
| style="text-align:left;" | Honorius Prigoană | style="text-align:left;" | Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 3,242 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 29.83% |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan=4 | Total valid votes (40,583 expected voters) (turnout 27.12% - 11,006) | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 10,867 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 100.00% |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan=6 |Source: Biroul Electoral Municipal
! rowspan=4 | 25 April 2010 | rowspan=2 | CD 19-42 | ! style="text-align:left;" | Teo Trandafir ! style="text-align:left;" | Democratic Liberal Party (Partidul Democrat-Liberal) ! style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | ! style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 53.59%
| style="text-align:left;" | Liliana Mincă | style="text-align:left;" | PSD+PC Electoral Alliance (Alianţa Electorală PSD+PC) | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 46.41% |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan=4 | Total valid votes (103,204 expected voters) (turnout 14.84%) | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 15,093 | style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 100.00% |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan=6 |Source: Autoritatea Electorală Permanentă
! rowspan=10 | 28 November 2010 | rowspan=8 | CD 3-22 | ! style="text-align:left;" | Mariana Câmpeanu ! style="text-align:left;" | National Liberal Party (Partidul Naţional Liberal) ! style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 8,738 ! style="text-align:right;vertical-align:top;" | 34.86%