The Setting up and the Organisation of the Constitutional Monarchy

Alongside of Church, the reign in Romanian Principates was the principal institution begining with the 14th century and continueing in the modern period. On the lenght of the mentioned time, the princes from Basarabi`s and Musatini`s families were crowned according to elective and hereditary principles. (Castelul Peles - resedinta regala)

The intervention of Ottoman Empire and of Tzarist Russia, especially at the end of the "fanariote century" determined the great boyars to apreciate the variant of a western sovereign. In the "desires" of the two Ad-hoc Divans, among others it demanded: the full authonomy of Principates, the union "in a single state with the name of Romania" and ruled "by a foreign prince, with right of succession at the crown, choosed from an european family".

The representatives of the seven great Powers did not respect these requests of romanians and in the Convention from Paris it was provided, among others, a prince for each country, but it trimphed the romanian unionists, point of view and it was carried out Alexandru Ioan Cuza`s double election. After the administrative integration from 24th January 1862, the elements from the romanian plolitical life solicited the setting of a ruler from a foreign dinasty, this thing being appreciated as a priority objective for the country.

After the coup d`etat from 2nd May 1864, the conservator and labou rist oppositions were more and more vehementlly to ask the election of a prince from a reigned family from West.

Alexandru Ioan Cuza found that the regime of personal gouvernment had no succes, although in the country had been addopted very important reforms. In a correspondance to Napoleon the 3rd, the voievod appreciated: "the single way to release Romania from the political decay in which it struggled, is the nameing of a hereditary foreign prince" - he said this plainly, giveing up the throne.

Cuza`s dethronement upset the guarant powers that were again set before an accomplished fact,they reposted vehemently: Austria, Russia and Turkey, the latter demanded the cancelig of Principates Union, request followed by the other two Powers.

To resolve this problem of Principates, it was opened the Conference from Paris of the seven european Powers at 10th March 1866 -conference that lasted a month. Although it existed divergent position, at last, by the support of the secrete diplomacy of Napoleon the 3rd it was choosed Carol of Hohenzollern - Sigmaringen.

In spite of the firm position of Turkey, which threated with "the invadeing of Romania, to reestablish the law", the authorities from Bucharest organised a plebiscite, to consulte citizens regarding Carol`s election as prince.The succes of the plebiscite (ended at 10th April 1866) was evidenttly: 685, 965 votes for it, 224 votes against it and 124, 834 abstentions.

But with a simply majority, the Conference of the guarant powers rejected the election of a foreign prince on Romania`s throne, soliciteing to romanian authorities to choose a new lander prince (2nd May 1866). On 8th May, I.C.Bratianu and I.Balaceanu, comeing from Paris, they have at Dusseldorf a long discussion with prince Carol`s father and it concluded that the prince`s leaving for Bucharest must be done at once.

At 28th April/10th May 1866, the legislative forum of the country "proclaim in a solemn manner and for the last time the unyielding will of Romania to remain one and inseparable, haveing at its head Carol the 1st from the dinasty Hohenzollern - Sigmaringen" (109 votes for it and 6 abstentions). After a long way and full or adventures, at 10th/22nd May 1866, Carol said the sworn of faith to the country before the Parliamentary Assembly: "I sware to be faithful to laws of the country, to protect the religion of romanians, as well as the integriity of the teritory and to rule as constitutional prince". (Carol the 1st 1839 - 1914)

The accomplished fact, provoked to Great Powers, excepting France, real negative reactions: Turkey wanted the occupation of Principates, which determined the new prince to order the call to arms and to protest energical against the politics of the Porte. Till the end, the armed intervention did not occur, but the governs of the 7 Powers forbiden their ambassadors from the Capital of Romania to have relations wich Carol`s govern.

The country was izolated, but this crisis was dezarmosed because of the missunders tandings between the powers and firm atitude of prince and of his goversn.

At 11th June, the Constitute Assembly addopted the Constitution - the fundamental law of country - that was latter promulgated by prince Carol. Haveing as model the Belgian Constitution, it were proclamed principles imposed by the Franch Revolution: "the liberties and the fundamental rights of the citizens", "the neational sovereignity", "the separation of the powers in state", "the ministerial responsability".

The Constitution was completed by an electoral law that promoted the interests of the great land owners and of the labourist bourgeoisie. The Constitution from 1866 represented strong instrument on the development of modern Romania, in sustaining the independence, in the consolidation fo bourgeois institutions and of makeing the Romanian National State.