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ROMANIA
Senatul (Senate)
ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Electoral system module

Parliament name (generic / translated) Parlamentul României / Parliament of Romania
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Senatul / Senate
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Camera Deputatilor / Chamber of Deputies
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral Law 15 July 1992
Last updated on 24 July 2015 (Law no. 208)
Mode of designation directly elected 136
Constituencies - 41 constituencies at county level (one constituency per county) for 121 seats
- 1 constituency in Bucharest for 13 seats
- 1 constituency abroad for two seats
There is one Senator for every 168,000 inhabitants.
Voting system Proportional: List Proportional Representation (List PR)
Political parties contesting the election on their own must be above the following thresholds to win parliamentary representation: 5% of the total number of valid votes cast at national level or 20% of the total number of valid votes cast in at least four constituencies.
The corresponding thresholds for political alliances are: 8 per cent for alliances of two parties, 9 per cent for alliances of three parties, and 10 per cent for alliances of four parties or more.

Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by unsuccessful candidates declared substitutes on the corresponding party-list. By-elections can be held in exceptional situations.

Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - minimum age: 18 years
- Romanian citizenship
- disqualifications: persons with mental deficiencies, placed under interdiction and persons disenfranchised pursuant to a final court decision
CANDIDATES
Eligibility Qualified electors
- minimum age: 33 years
- Romanian citizenship
- domicile in Romania
Incompatibilities - Deputies
- holders of public offices (except the members of the Government)
- prefects, sub-prefects, heads of public services and other governmental authorities of territorial administrative units (in constituencies where exercising functions)
- managers of trading companies, including banks, of publicly owned enterprises and of national companies
- public offices entrusted by a foreign State, excepting those stipulated in the international agreements and conventions Romania is a party to
- judges of the Constitutional Court
- the Advocate of the People and his/her deputies
- magistrates
- members of the armed forces on active duty
- policemen
- other categories of civil servants established by organic law, who are not allowed to join political parties
Candidacy requirements - candidatures proposed on separate list submitted only by legally constituted political parties and political alliances, as well as by electoral alliances
- support by at least 5% of the total number of voters from the constituency, for independent candidates
- nominations submitted no later than 30 days prior to the polling

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