The PDL traces its roots in the National Salvation Front (FSN), the governing body which, under the leadership of Ion Iliescu, seized power during the Romanian Revolution of 1989 which ended the previous 42 year-long Communist regime in Romania.

Later, in 2012, due to massive street protests, Prime Minister Emil Boc resigned and president Traian Băsescu appointed the independent Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, former SIE commander, to form a new cabinet which was invested by a vote in Parliament in February 2012.

When the government fell, Traian Băsescu consulted the parliamentary parties and decided to nominate PSD leader Victor Ponta as Prime Minister.

Because of these results, the then president of PDL, Emil Boc, resigned and called for an early National Convention (congress) of the party, which was held on the 30 June 2012.

[21] After Băsescu's break with the new president of PD-L, Vasile Blaga,[22] his supporters created the People's Movement Party (PMP) in June 2013.

[30] On 28 July 2014 the PDL and PNL formed the Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL) to jointly contest the upcoming presidential election.

The party also supports reforming the Romanian Constitution in order to bring about a decentralisation in administration and give greater power to the country's eight development regions.