Joke Parties Flourish After Law Change in Romania

Romania has recorded a surge in the number of new parties following a change to the law, many of which appear to have been established for frivolous purposes, including satire.

Some 88 new parties were officially registered last year alone, while 40 other requests were rejected, according to data from the courts in Bucharest.

"Most of the new parties have a regional focus, with founders trying to promote their local interests," Judge Laura Andrei said.

In this field, she cited "The Party of Proud People from Arad" [a city in western Romania], "The Movement for Medgidia" [in southern Romania] or "The Party of Poor People from Maramures" [a region in the north-west].

Other organizations that do not have much in the way of a political platform but want to get some attention have also registered as parties.

The "Pirate Party of Romania", for example, is calling for what it calls a "liquid democracy" as a new group-decision-making method of organising society. This apparently involves using the internet to advise people how to vote for people they trust.

The so-called "Getodacia Party" says it promoted the "old traditional values of Dacians" - the ancient inhabitants of Romania - such as kindness and hospitality, as a way to rebuild trust.

The Dacians is the name of an old tribe who lived over 2,000 years ago on the territory of modern Romania.

Interestingly, the Bucharest court has rejected the establishment of two communist parties, as the law outlaws parties that oppose political pluralism and the rule of law.

The rise in number of parties in Romania follows a change in the law prompted by the Pirate Party.

Last year it filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court arguing...