Closely sticking to the commission's recommendations, the new electoral law completely returned to party-list proportional representation.

For the first time the Romanian electors residing abroad were able to cast their vote via mail, in a reaction to the flawed procedures at the 2014 presidential election.

[16] Subsequently, the PNL joined forces with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), which itself had suffered a split when Traian Băsescu left to form the People's Movement (PMP).

[17] Ahead of a complete merger, the PDL and PNL formed the Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL),[18] which successfully fielded Klaus Iohannis in the November 2014 presidential election.

In June 2015, the left-wing National Union for the Progress of Romania (UNPR) which was previously in the Centre Left Alliance (ACS) with the Social Democrats (PSD), absorbed the remainders of dissolved populist PP-DD[20] after the latter's founder Dan Diaconescu was convicted for extortion.

[22] Though it aimed to win 10% of national vote on its own,[23] the party also reaffirmed its commitment to the Centre Left Alliance (ACS) with the PSD.

Led by Nicușor Dan, a mathematics professor, it was a reformist group of newcomers to politics committed to rooting out corruption.