Selection and recruitment of the parliamentarian elite

This paper presents models of political recruitment of candidates for legislative elections, in the Romanian context. We outline models, as well as other theoretical frameworks of the recruitment process, and discuss whether the Romanian parties recruit candidates for parliament by the book. Romania is at the second parliament elected under the reform implemented in 2008 when the PR system was replaced by a majoritarian one with single-member districts. And nothing seems to have changed. People still vote parties or alliances, and the selectorates are still characterized by lack of transparency when it comes to selecting candidates. The selectorates’ power is intact, even though the new system was meant to make them more inclusive and to democratize the selection process.