Party for the Animals welcomes Romanian sister party NOA!

The Romanian party Partidul pentru Natură, Oameni și Animale (NOA) was founded in 2023 as the first-ever political party in Romania dedicated to the protection of animals and nature. For several years, the Dutch Party for the Animals has collaborated with its founders and now officially recognises NOA as a sister party.

The party was founded to address several problems in Romanian society. For a long time now, the founders of the party have witnessed the destruction of nature in Romania. Nature is deteriorating everywhere, be it water, air, soil or forests, and NOA is committed to reversing this destruction.

Secondly, NOA advocates for a transparent democracy where citizens' voices and aspirations are listened to and respected. The party asserts that respect and compassion for all living beings must become guiding principles in Romanian society.

The treatment of animals in Romania

Furthermore, animals in Romania endure widespread abuse and cruelty. There are many cases of neglected, mistreated and killed animals. Romania has one of the largest stray animal populations in Europe for instance. The culling of strays is a legal and established method to manage overpopulation and many strays end up in deplorable conditions or are euthanised. Moreover, Romania is a point of departure for numerous distressing live animal exports by ship, causing severe and sometimes fatal suffering.

NOA asserts that animal rights must be acknowledged in Romania from both a legal and social perspective. These rights must be implemented and carefully monitored by authorities and politicians to ensure real protection and a good life for animals, just like human rights safeguard people. NOA's guiding principle is the wisdom of the late Mahatma Gandhi: 'the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated'.

Some of the topics the party is currently working on are a ban on euthanising stray animals in shelters, the implementation of a humane and efficient dog management system, outlawing fur farming, a ban on hunting and improving the lives of farm animals.

Next steps

On 9 June, both local and European elections are held in Romania. NOA intends to participate in both elections, with a particular focus on the local level. With nearly 40,000 seats to be divided among participating parties, the party stands a good chance of getting one or more councillors elected.

Support NOA by checking out their website and following them on social media. Consider donating or becoming a member to contribute to their cause. Are you eligible to vote in Romania? Vote NOA!