Party of Free People (, , , POL) is a regionalist and localist political party in Romania. The party was founded in October 2015 by Dan Mașca, Cătălin Hegheș, Radu Bălaș and Eugen Tothpal.
Ideology and political program According to the president of POL, Dan Mașca, the party does not have a clearly established ideology. Broadly speaking, it is a regionalist party that opts for participatory democracy and decentralization. Also, POL claims to be a party for all ethnicities in Romania, promoting harmony amongst Romanians, Hungarians, Germans, Roma etc.
Electoral symbol The electoral symbol of the Party of Free People is two joined palms, the abbreviated name "POL", the full Romanian name "Partidul Oamenilor Liberi", the Hungarian name "Szabad Emberek Pártja" and the German name "Partei der Freien Menschen".
Electoral history According to the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), at the 2016 local elections, Freemen's Party obtained five local councilor mandates. At the 2020 local elections, the party obtained two county councilors mandates, one mayoral mandate and 35 local councilor mandates.
Local elections
Election County Councilors (CJ) Mayors Local Councilors (CL) Popular vote % PositionVotes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats201610,3350.126,8370.087,3400.08202014,1230.2016,5270.2022,0600.2820241.7550.025.7470.06
Presence in cities
After 2024 local elections
CityMayor#Local CouncilVotesPercentageCouncilSwingAftermath Târgu Mureș 8 4.049 6.69 (#6) 0
After 2020 local elections
CityMayor#Local CouncilVotesPercentageCouncilSwingAftermath Odorheiu Secuiesc 1 7,662 61.62 (#1) 12 Târgu Mureș 1 1 4,009 7.18 (#4) 2 Gheorgheni 324 6.02 (#4) 1 Sângeorgiu de Pădure 173 8.87 (#3) 1
Notes 1
Potential deletion from the party register Although from 2015 the law on party registration has become less restrictive, the term local party does not appear in the law. Therefore, many parties – including POL – that do not meet the conditions of the law are at risk of being dissolved.
See also Hungarian People's Party of Transylvania Hungarian Civic Party
References