General elections were held in Romania on 27 September 1992, with a second round of the presidential election on 11 October. They were the first held after the adoption of a permanent constitution via a referendum held the previous winter.
Incumbent President Ion Iliescu led the field in the first round, but was forced into a run off with Emil Constantinescu, candidate of the oppositional Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR). Constantinescu ran on a quicker transition to a market economy and purging remaining communist influence from the government. He benefited from a marked downturn in Iliescu's popularity tied to both high unemployment and concerns that Iliescu was wavering in his commitment to democracy.
Despite this, opinion polls ahead of the runoff suggested that Iliescu was favoured for a second full term. Not only was it believed that his 16-point first-round lead was too large for Constantinescu to overcome, but most of the minor candidates were expected to eventually offer their support to Iliescu in the second round. In the end, Iliescu was reelected with 61 percent of the vote. The 1992 Romanian presidential election was the second of its kind held in post-1989 Romania.
In the parliamentary election, Iliescu's Democratic National Salvation Front (FDSN), which had split off from the National Salvation Front (FSN) earlier in the year, emerged as the largest party in Parliament, winning 117 of the 341 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 49 of the 143 seats in the Senate.
Presidential candidates Participating candidates
Name Lifespan Public Administration Experience Affiliation and endorsements Alma mater and profession Candidacy Ion IliescuBorn: (age )Oltenița, Călărași CountyPresident of Romania (1989–election day)President of Water Surfaces Management Council (1979–1984)Member of the State Council (full member: 1979–1980, observative: 1974–1979)President of Iași County Council (1974–1979)Vice-President of Timiș County Council (1971–1974)Minister of Youth (1967–1971)Deputy (1957–1961, 1965–1973, 1975–1985)Former presidential election:1990: 85.1% (winner)Affiliation: FDSNEnergy Institute, Moscow State University (1954)fluid mechanics engineer,publishing house managerEmil ConstantinescuBorn: (age )Tighina (today: de jure, Republic of Moldova; de facto Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic)Rector of University of Bucharest (1992–election day)Affiliation: CDRFaculty of Law, University of Bucharest (1960)Faculty of Geology, University of Bucharest (1966)geology professorGheorghe FunarBorn: (age )Sânnicolau Mare, Timiș CountyMayor of Cluj-Napoca (1992–election day)Affiliation: PUNRFaculty of Economics and Business Management, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-NapocaeconomistCaius Traian DragomirBorn: (age )Slatina, Olt CountyState Secretary for Public Information with the Government of Romania (1991–election day)Affiliation: noneEndorsed by: FSNCarol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest (1963)physicistpoetMircea DrucBorn: (age )Pociumbăuți, Rîșcani District, Republic of MoldovaPrime Minister of the Moldavian SSR (1990–1991)Affiliation: noneEndorsed by: MERFaculty of History and Philology, Moldova State University, Chișinău (1960)Faculty of Philology, Saint Petersburg State University (1964)administrative sciences professor Ioan MânzatuBorn: (age )Bobâlna, Cluj CountyVice-President of Romania (1990)Affiliation: Republican PartyFaculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai Universityphysics professor
Withdrawn candidates
Name Lifespan Public Administration Experience Affiliation and endorsements Alma mater and profession Candidacy Ioan LupAffiliation: PNȚCDIntention: Withdrawal: Endorsed Ion Rațiu: Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: Nicu StăncescuAffiliation: Party of Democratic UnityWithdrawal: Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: Sergiu CunescuBorn: (age ), BucharestDied: Affiliation: PSDRFaculty of Electromagnetics, Politehnica University of Bucharestcombustion engine engineerWithdrawal: Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: Nicolae ManolescuBorn: (age )Râmnicu Vâlcea, Vâlcea CountyAffiliation: Civic Alliance PartyFaculty of Philology, University of Bucharest (1962)writer, book criticWithdrawal: Endorsed Emil Constantinescu: Ion RațiuBorn: (age ), Turda, Cluj CountyDied: , LondonChancellor at Romanian Embassy in UK (1940)Affiliation: PNȚCDFaculty of Law, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (1938)Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge (1943)lawyer, economist, journalistIntention: Withdrawal: Endorsed Emil Constantinescu:
Results President
Gheorghe Funar and Ioan Mânzatu openly endorsed Ion Iliescu in the second round.
Parliament
Senate
Chamber of Deputies
References