PECULIARITIES OF LOCAL ELECTIONS IN PRE-WAR ROMANIA. THE CHRONO-SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF KEY ELECTORAL VARIABLES (1864-1914)

Abstract

The article analyzes the chrono-spatial distribution of some electoral variables – the turnout, the political preferences of the voters and the political representation in the local councils (county and / or communal) – in pre-war Romania (1864-1914). Regarding the voters turnout, there is a downward trend, favored by some legislative measures (declaring the winner of the list submitted by a party, if it is the only one registered). The political preferences of the electorate were directed, predominantly, towards the big pre-war parties – Liberal or Conservative – with a modest presence of other formations, while only representatives of the two mentioned formations entered the local councils. The results of the local elections are very similar to the legislative ones (for the Assembly of Deputies and / or the Senate).

Keywords

• local elections
• pre-war romania
• national liberal party
• conservative party
• local councils.