Romanian Social Democrat Senator Quits Party After Dismissal From Local Branch Headship

Vasile said he will be an independent senator and will not join former social democrats’ new leftist party, the National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR), launched on May 1.

Vasile, a founding member of the Social Democratic Party, Romania’s main left-wing party, said he was abusively removed from the headship of the local party branch and was not even invited to attend the meeting in which that decision was made.

Vasile, 60, has led the Buzau organization of the Social Democratic party since its foundation 20 years ago and also served as county prefect between 2000 and 2004.

Following local elections in 2008, Vasile has had several conflicts with Buzau mayor Constantin Boscodeala, who runs the party’s city branch.