This document summarizes the results of a political study in Romania regarding perceptions of amnesty and pardon. Some key findings include: - The majority of Romanians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction and oppose granting amnesty or pardon to convicts. - Those more likely to support amnesty/pardon tend to live in rural areas, be over 45, and have lower levels of education. - Opposition increases when asked about violent crimes specifically, though there is more leniency toward property crimes. - Most Romanians feel current penalties for violent crimes are too light, though some had difficulty assessing penalties.

1. Political Study: perceptions
concerning the issue of
Amnesty and/or Pardon
December 2018

2. ❖Type of study: quantifiable
❖Method of data collection: CATI
❖Number of question sheets / questionnaires: 1064
❖Data collection timeframe: 4th - 11th Dec 2018
❖Representative sample at national level: ±3% margin of error
Methodology

3. Data Analysis

4. The current course of events in Romania
Q.1. Generally speaking, do you think that the course of events in Romania is taking a correct or incorrect
turn? (N=1064)

5. Perceptions of the possibility that the Government may grant an
amnesty and/or pardon
Q.2. Concerning the possibility that the Government may grant an amnesty and/or pardon to those who have been
convicted, how would you rate such a decisioion? (N=1064)
Average: 2.05
Region Average
Moldova 2.04
Transilvania 2.02
Muntenia 2.07
Residency/Habitation
Urban 1.98
Rural 2.14
Age
Under 45 years old 1.98
Over 45 years old 2.11
Education Level
Primary education 2.15
Secondary education 2.03
Higher education/Graduate school 1.79

6. Perceptions of the possibility that the Government may grant an
amnesty and/or pardon vis-a-vis public expectations at the last
parliamentary elections
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
Average
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
2.41
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
1.72
Q.2. Concerning the possibility that the Government may grant an amnesty and/or pardon to those who have been
convicted, how would you rate such a decisioion? (N=1064)
1 - Very wrong
decision
5 - Very good
decision

7. Approval of Amnesty and/or Pardon generally (after exposure to
resolutions)
For clarification, before responding to this
questionnaire, respondents were given full
details about the Amnesty & Pardon issue:
Pardon: the decision to exempt those already convicted from
the reminder of their sentence
Amnesty: the Government’s decision to remove criminal liability
and to suspend punishment of a certain group/class of people
for a particular infringement
Q.3. In light of the given definitions, do you agree or disagree with the granting of an Amnesty and/or Pardon, in
principle? (N=1064)

8. Approval of Amnesty and/or Pardon generally (after exposure to resolutions)
Crosstab 1/2
Region
I agree with an
Amnesty and/or
Pardon
I do not agree with an
Amnesty and/or Pardon
NȘ/NR
Moldova 17% 75% 8%
Transilvania 17% 78% 5%
Muntenia 24% 72% 4%
Residency/Habitation
Urban 19% 75% 6%
Rural 22% 73% 5%
Age
Under 45 years old 18% 77% 5%
Over 45 years old 23% 72% 5%
Education
Primary education 22% 72% 6%
Secondary education 20% 76% 4%
Higher education / Graduate
school
17% 78% 5%
% column
Q.3. In light of the given definitions, do you agree or disagree with the granting of an Amnesty and/or Pardon, in
principle? (N=1064)

9. Acordul cu amnistia și grațierea, în general (după expunerea la definiții)
Crosstab 2/2
Public expectations at the
last parliamentary
elections
I agree with an
Amnesty and/or
Pardon
I do not agree with an
Amnesty and/or Pardon
NȘ/NR
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
31% 64% 5%
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
11% 85% 4%
Q.3. In light of the given definitions, do you agree or disagree with the granting of an Amnesty and/or Pardon, in
principle? (N=1064)
% column

10. Approval of Amnesty and/or Pardon according to specific named
transgressions
Q.4. Do you agree or disagree with the principle of an Amnesty and/or Pardon in relation to each one of specific
named types of transgression? (N=1064)

11. Approval of Amnesty and/or Pardon according to specific transgressions Crosstab
1/2
Region
Acts of corruption
involving usage of public
money
Violent acts of personal
injury
Qualified robberies from
private money
Moldova 90% 98% 96%
Transilvania 90% 93% 91%
Muntenia 91% 96% 92%
Residency /Habitation
Urban 92% 96% 92%
Rural 89% 94% 94%
Age
Under 45 years old 91% 95% 91%
Over 45 years old 91% 95% 93%
Education
Primary education 89% 93% 91%
Secondary education 93% 97% 94%
Higher education/Graduate school 93% 96% 92%
Q.4. Do you agree or disagree with the principle of an Amnesty and/or Pardon in relation to each one of specific
named types of transgression? (N=1064)

12. Approval of amnesty and/or pardon according to transgression Crosstab 2/2
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
Acts of corruption from
usage of public money
Violent acts of personal
injury
Qualified robberies from
private money
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
87% 93% 91%
Gruop 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
96% 97% 96%
Q.4. Do you agree or disagree with the principle of an Amnesty and/or Pardon in relation to each one of specific
named types of transgression? (N=1064)

13. Assessing punishment for specific types of crime
Q.5. How do you rate the current penalties for given categories of criminal act: too lenient, appropriate, or too
severe? (N=1064)

14. Assessing punishment for specific types of crime
Crosstab 1/2
Region
Acts of corruption from
usage of public money
Violent acts of personal
injury
Qualified robberies from
private money
Moldova 62% 70% 64%
Transilvania 63% 67% 65%
Muntenia 63% 70% 63%
Residency/ Habitation
Urban 63% 68% 62%
Rural 63% 69% 66%
Age
Under 45 years old 61% 63% 58%
Over 45 years old 65% 74% 69%
Education
Primary education 60% 65% 63%
Secondary education 68% 74% 69%
Higher education/Graduate school 60% 63% 52%
Q.5. How do you rate the current penalties for given categories of criminal act: too lenient, appropriate, or too
severe? (N=1064)

15. Assessing punishment for specific types of crime Crosstab 1/2
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
Acts of corruption from
usage of public money
Violent acts of personal
injury
Qualified robberies from
private money
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
55% 69% 64%
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
75% 75% 69%
Q.5. How do you rate the current penalties for given categories of criminal act: too lenient, appropriate, or too
severe? (N=1064)

16. The impact on citizens of corruption policies used by politicians
Crosstab 1/2 Average data
Region Average
Moldova 4.01
Transilvania 4.18
Muntenia 4.13
Residency/ Habitation
Urban 4.24
Rural 3.99
Age
Under 45 years old 4.17
Over 45 years old 4.09
Education
Primary education 3.86
Secondary education 4.35
Higher education / Graduate
school
4.38
Q.6. In general, do you think the corruption policies adopted by politicians affect you personally? Please answer
using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means very little / not at all, and 5, to a very large extent (N=1064)
Average:
4.13

17. The impact on citizens of corruption policies used by politicians
Crosstab 2/2 Average data
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
Average
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
3.73
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
4.44
Q.6. In general, personally speaking, do you think the corruption policies adopted by politicians affect you? Please
answer using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means very little / not at all, and 5, to a very large extent. (N=1064)

18. Public perception of the importance of the fight against corruption
Crosstab 1/2 Average data
Region Medie
Moldova 4.32
Transilvania 4.40
Muntenia 4.34
Residency/ Habitation
Urban 4.46
Rural 4.22
Age
Under 45 years old 4.38
Over 45 years old 4.33
Education Level
Primary education 4.15
Secondary education 4.50
Higher education / Graduate
school
4.54
Q.7. How important is the fight against corruption for you? Please answer using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means
very little / not at all, and 5, to a very large extent (N=1064)
Average:
4.35

19. Public perception of the importance of the fight against corruption
Crosstab 2/2 Average data
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
Average
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
4.04
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
4.70
Q.7. How important is the fight against corruption for you? Please answer using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means
very little / not at all, and 5, to a very large extent. (N=1064)

20. Early release of those sentenced to imprisonment, on compensatory
appeal
Q.8. How would you view the early release of those sentenced to imprisonment, on compensatory appeal? (N=1064)

21. Early release of those sentenced to imprisonment
Crosstab 1/2
Region Right Neutral Wrong NȘ/NR
Moldova 12% 21% 57% 10%
Transilvania 7% 24% 58% 11%
Muntenia 14% 22% 58% 6%
Residency/ Habitation
Urban 11% 22% 59% 8%
Rural 12% 24% 55% 9%
Age
Under 45 years old 13% 24% 54% 9%
Over 45 years old 10% 22% 60% 8%
Education Level
Primary education 14% 22% 54% 10%
Secondary education 8% 26% 60% 6%
Higher education/ Graduate
school
11% 17% 62% 10%
Q.8. How would you view the early release of those sentenced to imprisonment, on compensatory appeal? (N=1064)
%column

22. Early release of those sentenced to imprisonment
Crosstab 2/2
Public belief in the
last parliamentary
elections
Right Neutral Wrong NȘ/NR
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
15% 27% 49% 9%
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
5% 13% 75% 7%
Q.8. How would you view the early release of those sentenced to imprisonment, on compensatory appeal? (N=1064)
% column

23. Assessing changes made to the laws of justice and penal/criminal codes
over the past 2 years.
Q.9. How do you view the changes made to the laws of justice and penal/criminal codes over the past 2
years? (N=1064)

24. Assessing changes made to the laws of justice and penal/criminal codes
over the past 2 years. Crosstab 1/2
Region Right Neutral Wrong NȘ/NR
Moldova 12% 21% 55% 12%
Transilvania 6% 24% 57% 13%
Muntenia 12% 22% 56% 10%
Residency/ Habitation
Urban 10% 22% 58% 10%
Rural 10% 23% 54% 13%
Age
Age under 45 years old 7% 23% 61% 9%
Age over 45 years old 13% 22% 51% 14%
Education Level
Primary school 9% 26% 49% 16%
Secondary education 12% 21% 59% 8%
Higher education/ Graduate
school
9% 16% 67% 8%
Q.9. How do you view the changes made to the laws of justice and penal/criminal codes over the past 2 years? (N=1064)
% column

25. Assessing changes made to the laws of justice and penal/criminal codes
over the past 2 years. Crosstab 2/2
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
Right Neutral Wrong NȘ/NR
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
16% 31% 41% 12%
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
5% 15% 72% 8%
Q.9. How do you view the changes made to the laws of justice and penal/criminal codes over the past 2 years?
(N=1064)
% column

26. Romania and the European Union
Q.10. Do you believe that Romania is ready to take over the EU presidency? (N=1064)
Q.11. Do you wish Romania to remain a member of the EU? (N=1064)
Takeover of the EU
Presidency by Romania
The aspiration for
Romania to remain a
member of the EU

27. The aspiration for Romania to remain a member of the EU
Crosstab
Public belief in the last
parliamentary elections
YES NO NȘ/NR
Group 1:
PSD/ALDE/UDMR
93% 4% 3%
Group 2:
PNL/USR/PMP
93% 5% 2%
% column
Q.11. Do you wish Romania to remain a member of the EU? (N=1064)

28. Most watched TV stations for information
Q.12. Which TV channel do you watch the most for information? (Unique Answer) (N=1064)

29. Conclusions

30. Conclusions 1/3
❖ The majority of Romanians agree that, in Romania, matters are heading in the wrong direction (80%).
❖ The granting of an Amnesty to, and/or pardoning of convicts, are considered to be bad for society (70%). Romanians
who consider that an amnesty or pardon are good or very good measures tend to have the following social profile: live in
rural areas, are over 45 years of age, have only primary-level education, and voted with PSD / ALDE / UDMR at the last
parliamentary elections.
❖ Three-quarters of the country's population are opposed to any amnesty or pardon measures. Romanians who agree
with such measures tend to have the following social profile: rural inhabitant in the historic region of Muntenia, over 45
years of age, have primary level or, at best, secondary-level education, and voted with PSD / ALDE / UDMR at the last
parliamentary elections.
❖ When the survey participants were shown examples of criminal actions that could be forgiven by the Romanian
state, the percentage of those opposed to amnesty or pardon increased. Romanians have a more lenient attitude
towards those who have committed qualified robberies from usage of private money, and are less tolerant of groups of
people guilty of violent crimes (robbery, rape, etc).
❖ In terms of penalties, 7 out of 10 Romanians claim that they are too light for acts of violence involving personal injury
(robbery, rape, etc). However, it should be noted that around 15% of respondents were unable to assess the extent to
which actual punishments are appropriate for given offenses. PSD, ALDE and UDMR voters have a more lenient attitude
towards punishment for aggressors than do opposition voters.

31. Conclusions 2/3
❖ Three-quarters of Romanians consider that the corrupt acts of politicians affect their everyday lives to a great or
very great extent.
❖ The fight against corruption is an important measure for 8 out of 10 Romanians.
❖ The release of convicts/detainees from prison on compensatory appeal is considered a bad measure by over half of
Romanians. Citizens who believe that the release of these detainees was a very good idea tend to have the following social
profile: live in the regions of Muntenia or Moldova, are under 45 years old, have no more than secondary-level education,
and voted with the ruling Coalition at the last election.
❖ More than half of citizens are appalled at the changes applied to the laws of justice and to the criminal/penal codes
over the past 2 years. The Romanians who expressed this assessment mainly live in the urban area, are under 45 years old,
have higher-education studies, and voted with the opposition parties at the last parliamentary elections.

32. Conclusions 3/3
❖ Half of Romanians believe that Romania is not ready to take over the EU presidency.
❖ An overwhelming majority of Romanians desire to see the country remaining a member of the EU. Those Romanians
who tend more to favour Romania leaving the EU are mainly over 45 years of age, with primary-evel education. However,
there are no differences in terms of the political preferences manifested in voting in the last parliamentary elections.
❖ The most watched TV channel for information is PRO TV. Among the news broadcasts, Romanians prefer Romania TV
for information.

33. Socio-demographics
Sociodemographic

34. Demographics (sex, age, education)
Male 49%
Female 51%
48%
52%
Under 45 years old
Over 45 years old
No high-school graduation (Primary
only)
High-school graduate (secondary education)
Higher education (third-level studies)
45%
42%
13%

35. Demographics (by residence and by historical region)
Rural
Urban
56%
44%
Moldova
Muntenia
Transilvania
16%
50%
34%