Cristian Diaconescu

Defection from PSD and subsequent developments In February 2010, Diaconescu sought election as PSD president, but withdrew from the race several hours before the party congress that would decide the winner opened. Subsequently, journalist Floriana Jucan alleged that Diaconescu had been subject to round-the-clock surveillance for ten days prior to the congress, and that party colleagues had carried out the monitoring in order to blackmail him. Near the end of the month, he resigned from the party and from its vice presidency, also filing a judicial complaint asking for an investigation into his surveillance. Initially sitting as an independent in Gabriel Oprea's group, he followed the latter into the newly founded UNPR, being elected honorary president in May. In February 2011, he was elected one of the Senate's vice presidents.

Following the dismissal of Teodor Baconschi during anti-government protests, Diaconescu was once again named foreign minister in January 2012. After Boc and his cabinet resigned the following month, Diaconescu was retained in his post by incoming prime minister Ungureanu. He left office in May due to the Ungureanu cabinet's dismissal by a motion of no confidence. Quickly named an adviser to President Traian Băsescu, whereupon he left the Senate, as well as resigning from the UNPR, he was dismissed that August by interim President Crin Antonescu, but resumed his post once Băsescu returned as president. He left the Băsescu administration in April 2014, joining the People's Movement Party (PMP) the following month. In June, he was named the party's candidate for the November presidential election. In August, prior to a move by party president Elena Udrea to take his place as the PMP candidate, he resigned from the party and announced he would continue his campaign as an independent. Ten days later, he abandoned his candidacy and endorsed Udrea.

In early 2020, Diaconescu rejoined the PMP. A year later, he was unanimously elected party president, and was simultaneously announced as its 2024 candidate for President of Romania. His eleven-month term ended when supporters of former PMP leader Eugen Tomac convened a party congress. In spite of Diaconescu's claim that the meeting was invalid, the delegates elected Tomac to a new term. Diaconescu would later be expelled from the PMP by the newly elected leadership of the party. In February 2025, he was named defense and national security adviser to interim president Ilie Bolojan.

Electoral history Mayor of Bucharest ElectionAffiliationFirst roundSecond roundVotesPercentagePositionVotesPercentagePosition2008 67,251 not qualified