Parliamentary elections were held in Romania on 9 December 2012. The Social Liberal Union (USL) co-led by former Prime Minister Victor Ponta won an absolute majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. At the time of the elections, despite the severe weather in several parts of the country, the turnout was approximately 42%, slightly higher than the last parliamentary elections held in 2008 which saw a turnout of 39%.

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2012 Romanian parliamentary election

← 2008 9 December 2012 2016 →
All 176 seats in the Senate All 412 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 89 and 207 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	41.76% ( 2.56pp)
Party Leader % Seats +/– Chamber of Deputies USL Victor Ponta Crin Antonescu 58.63 273 +94 ARD Vasile Blaga Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu 16.51 56 −59 PP–DD Dan Diaconescu 13.99 47 New UDMR Hunor Kelemen 5.14 18 −4 Minority parties Varujan Pambuccian[lower-alpha 1] 2.86 18 0 Senate USL Victor Ponta Crin Antonescu 60.10 122 +45 ARD Vasile Blaga Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu 16.71 24 −27 PP–DD Dan Diaconescu 14.65 21 New UDMR Hunor Kelemen 5.24 9 0 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. The results for the Chamber of Deputies and for the Senate Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Victor Ponta USL (PSD) Victor Ponta USL (PSD)

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The Social Liberal Union (USL) obtained a huge majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, with 60% and 59% respectively of the votes and in MP mandates, namely a record number of 395 seats. Far behind, the Right Romania Alliance (ARD) came in second place with only 17% of the vote and 80 seats, losing about half of what they won as the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) in 2008.

The ARD was officially dissolved after the elections.^[1] People's Party – Dan Diaconescu (PP–DD) and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ) were the only other political groups that won seats in the Senate. Several parties of ethnic minorities also received individual seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

The PDL centred ARD alliance was formed late after the 2012 Romanian presidential impeachment referendum. As a result, some opinion polls do not include the ARD. Opinion polls that show PDL do not show ARD.

The UNPR joined USL in August–September 2012, in a sceptical environment. As a result, some opinion polls showed both political entities. The PNG-CD leader George Becali joined the PNL and ran backed by the USL in Bucharest. Furthermore, his former party did not propose any candidates for this election.

Out of the 12 contesting parties running for the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, only three submitted a full list of candidates: Social Liberal Union (USL), Right Romania Alliance (ARD), and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ). People's Party - Dan Diaconescu (PP-DD) submitted a list with one candidate less than all the available colleges. Only one independent candidate decided to run for the Senate and 12 for the Chamber of Deputies. There were 18 national minorities associations proposing one candidate each for the Chamber of Deputies.

The Social Liberal Union (USL) maintained majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

Two local non-binding referendums were also organized on 9 December, concerning environmental issues.^[7]

The first one took place in Alba county and people were asked whether they were in favor or against the Roșia Montană mining project. Although 62% of those who voted voiced support for the controversial project, the referendum did not meet the required turnout of 50%, as only 43,2% of voters turned up.^[7]

The second referendum was held in the communes of Limanu, Costinești as well as in the city of Mangalia and asked voters to say whether they were in favor or against the use, by Chevron, of shale gas extraction by means of hydraulic fracturing. This referendum failed to meet the required turnout as well.^[7]

Although a report by the OSCE stated the elections were administered "professionally and efficiently",^[8] the electioneering, initiated on 9 November and ended on 8 December, was not without incidents.

Dan Diaconescu, candidate from PP-DD in the same college of Chamber of Deputies in Târgu Jiu with Prime Minister Victor Ponta, is investigated for electoral bribery.^[9] Authorities were notified after PSD representatives within Gorj County Council filed a complaint regarding the distribution of food and the organization of an electoral spectacle before the electioneering.^[10] According to the Emergency Ordinance issued on 6 November by Ponta Cabinet, offering food, drink and money in the campaign is illegal.^[11]

On 11 November, an old man from the commune of Mătăsari (Gorj County) had a heart attack shortly after a discussion in contradictory with PDL deputy Constantin Severus Militaru.^[12] PDL deputy said that the old man was very indignant because his pension was not recalculated, although he had worked all his life in mining.^[13]

The President of PDL Vrancea, Alin Trășculescu, was caught in the act by anticorruption prosecutors while receiving €50,000 from a businessman in the form of bribe.^[14] He was detained for 24 hours for allegations of lobbyism, instigation to false and incitement to the misdemeanor of money laundering.^[15] Alin Trășculescu was under the supervision of National Anticorruption Department for two years. He claimed he could get contracts with the State, from the Ministry of Development and Tourism, led then by Elena Udrea.