Maniu

Maniu is a Romanian surname. The most prominent bearer is Iuliu Maniu (1873–1953), a Romanian politician and lawyer who was a leading figure in interwar Romanian politics. He was a leader of the Romanian National Peasant Party (PNȚ), a major agrarian and liberal-conservative party in the 1920s and 1930s. Maniu served as Prime Minister of Romania from 1928 to 1929, during a period of political instability as the young democracy sought stability in Greater Romania. His government focused on parliamentary governance, agrarian reform measures, and the defense of civil liberties within the constitutional framework of the time.

After World War II, the rise of the communist regime led to political persecution of many former politicians; Maniu was arrested and died in prison in 1953. His legacy is tied to the defense of parliamentary democracy and the multiethnic framework of interwar Romania, as well as to the broader story of political repression under authoritarian regimes in the mid-20th century.

The surname Maniu is found among Romanians and in Romanian-speaking communities abroad. While Iuliu Maniu is the best-known bearer, the name appears in other individuals in public life and local communities, reflecting its roots in Romanian history and society.