Iosif Chișinevschi Miron Constantinescu – Politburo member Dumitru Coliu Constanța Crăciun Teohari Georgescu – Politburo member, Secretary Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej – Politburo member, Secretary Vasile Luca – Politburo member, Secretary Gheorghe Maurer Alexandru Moghioroș Andrei Neagu Constantin Pârvulescu – President of Central Control Commission Lucrețiu Pătrășcanu Andrei Pătrașcu Ana Pauker – Politburo member, Secretary Emil Popa Ilie Popa Iosif Rangheț Leontin Silaghi Chivu Stoica – Politburo member Gheorghe Vasilichi – Politburo member and 8 candidate members Ilie Drăgan Alexandru Drăghici Dumitru Focșăneanu Mihai Mujic Ion Petre Gheorghe Radnev Mihai Roșianu The post-1945 constant growth in membership, by far the highest of all Eastern Bloc countries, was to provide a base of support for Gheorghiu-Dej. The conference also saw the first mention of the PCdR as the Romanian Communist Party (PCR), the new name being used as a propaganda tool suggesting a closer connection with the national interest. Party control over the security forces was successfully used on 8 November 1945, when the opposition parties organised a demonstration in front of the Royal Palace to express solidarity with King Michael, who was still refusing to sign his name to new legislation, on the occasion of his name day. Demonstrators were faced with gunshots; around 10 people were killed, and many wounded. The official account, according to which the Groza government responded to a coup attempt, was disputed by Frunză. The PCR and its allies, grouped in the Bloc of Democratic Parties, won the Romanian elections of 19 November, although there is evidence of widespread electoral fraud. Years later, historian Petre Ţurlea reviewed an incomplete confidential PCR report about the election that confirmed the Bloc won around 48 percent of the vote. He concluded that had the election been conducted fairly, the opposition parties could have won enough votes between them to form a coalition government, albeit with far less than the 80 percent support opposition supporters long claimed. The following months were dedicated to confronting the National Peasants' Party, which was annihilated after the Tămădău Affair and show trial of its entire leadership. On 30 December 1947, the Communist Party's power was consolidated when King Michael was forced to abdicate. The Communist-dominated legislature then abolished the monarchy and proclaimed Romania a "People's Republic", firmly aligned with the Soviet Union. According to the king, his signature was obtained after the Groza cabinet representatives threatened to kill 1,000 students they had rounded up in