ABSTRACT
In most of Central and Eastern Europe, the beginning of transition to democracy was marked by negotiations among political elites grouped within proto-parties or loose political movements (e.g. umbrella organisations). This top-down process was combined with the fact that most of it occurred before the real institutionalisation of the new democratic regimes consecrated the central role of political parties in the political life of these countries. As a result, post-communist politics soon became party politics (Enyedi and Toka 2007). Empirically, this claim is corroborated by the very few instances in which independent politicians managed to secure seats in the legislatures. Thus, the vast majority of decision-making processes has been the result of intra-and inter-party competition and negotiations. Romania follows this pattern: its political system is dominated by parties and their leaders – especially when the latter become heads of state or government.
