Romania

Senate

Political system
Presidential-Parliamentary
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.

Background

Election date(s)
01 Dec 2024
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
No information available
Timing of election
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections
30 Nov 2028
Number of seats at stake
134

Notes: The statutory number of the Senate is 136, as was the case in the outgoing legislature (elected in 2020). The 2024 legislature exceptionally has 134 members because two seats were not filled by the Party of Young People (POT). See the note on the parties or coalitions winning seats.

Scope of elections
Full renewal

Voter turnout

Registered voters
19,503,273
Voters
9,454,678
Voter turnout
48.5%

Results

About the election

The governing coalition (see note 1), led by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), won a majority in both chambers. It won a total of 157 seats in the 331-member Chamber of Deputies (see note 2) and 68 seats in the 134-member Senate (see note on the number of seats at stake). The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), led by Mr. George Simion, significantly increased its share of seats and became the second largest party in both chambers. The Save Romania Union (USR, a liberal party led by Ms. Elena Lasconi) became the fourth-largest force in both chambers, followed by S.O.S. Romania (a far-right party led by Ms. Diana Șoșoacă) and the Party of Young People (POT, led by Ms. Anamaria Gavrilă, formerly of AUR).

On 20 December, the newly elected parliament held its first session. On 23 December, the Chamber of Deputies elected Mr. Ciprian-Constantin Șerban (PSD) as its new President, while the Senate elected Mr. Ilie-Gavril Bolojan (President of the National Liberal Party, PNL) as its new President. On 23 December, Mr. Ciolacu (PSD) formed a coalition government comprising the same three parties as previously: the PSD, the PNL (led by new Senate President Bolojan), and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR, led by Mr. Hunor Kelemen).

The 2024 parliamentary elections were held one week after the first round of the presidential election, which was invalidated by the Constitutional Court on 6 December (see note 3). During parliamentary election campaigning, the major parties continued to focus on issues similar to those debated at the presidential election: corruption, LGBTQ rights and the war in Ukraine.

Note 1:
Following elections held in 2020, the PNL formed a coalition government with the USR-PLUS alliance and the UDMR under the premiership of Mr. Florin Cîțu (PNL). However, the coalition government collapsed after a no confidence vote in October 2021.
In November 2021, Mr. Nicolae Ciucă (PNL) formed a new coalition government with the PSD and the UDMR. As part of the 2021 coalition agreement, Mr. Marcel Ciolacu (PSD) took over as Prime Minister in June 2023. He continued to lead the coalition government (comprising the same three parties) until the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Note 2:
The statutory number of members in the Chamber of Deputies has increased from 330 to 331. This is because the number of seats for minorities has increased from 18 to 19.

Note 3:
In the first round of the presidential election, no candidate won a majority. A pro-Russian candidate Călin Georgescu (independent) and Ms. Elena Lasconi (USR) advanced to the second round, while Prime Minister Ciolacu (PSD) finished third. The Supreme Council of National Defence said it had found evidence of interference. Following a vote recount, the Constitutional Court invalidated the entire process of the presidential election on 6 December. Fresh presidential polls were subsequently set for 4 and 18 May 2025. President Klaus Iohannis (independent, formerly PNL) announced that he would stay in post until his successor was elected.
Opposition parties announced they would submit an impeachment motion against the President. On 10 February 2025, the eve of the impeachment vote, President Iohannis resigned. Senate President Bolojan (PNL) became the Acting President of the Republic, and Mr. Mircea Abrudean (PNL) became the Acting President of the Senate.

Number of parties winning seats
7
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
26.9%
Alternation of power after elections
Not applicable
Number of parties in government
3
Names of parties in government
Social Democratic Party (PSD), National Liberal Party (PNL), Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR)

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group Total
Social Democratic Party (PSD) 36
Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) 28
National Liberal Party (PNL) 22
Save Romania Union (USR) 19
S.O.S. Romania 12
Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) 10
Party of Young People (POT) 7

Notes: The Party of Young People (POT) was to obtain nine seats instead of seven. However, POT did not have enough candidates in the constituencies where two more seats were to be filled. The Central Electoral Bureau decided to leave these two seats vacant. Consequently, the 2024 legislature exceptionally comprises 134 senators instead of 136.

Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
108
Number of women elected
26
Percentage of women elected
19.4%
Women Directly Elected
26
Other notes on the elections

Note on the statutory number of the Senate:
The statutory number of the Senate is 136, as was the case in the outgoing legislature (elected in 2020). The 2024 legislature exceptionally has 134 members because two seats were not filled by the Party of Young People (POT). See the note on the parties or coalitions winning seats.

Sources

New legislature

Total number of men after the election
108
Total number of women after the election
26
Percentage of women after the election
19.4%
First-term parliamentarians
No information available
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
No information available
Date of the first session
20 Dec 2024

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
Ilie-Gavril Bolojan (Male)
Date of birth: 17 Mar 1969
Political party
National Liberal Party (PNL)
Date of election
23 Dec 2024

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No