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Following a lackluster parliamentary campaign "that lacked ample debates on ideas" Romania is headed for a center-right government, says sociologist Gelu Duminica, according to AGERPRES.
"Maybe the setting wasn't the best for a real, solid debate either, although we see that in recent years the parties have seemingly avoided real debates on topics of interest. I miss the times of intense debate on wether to impose a flat or a progressive tax, for instance," Gelu Duminica told AGERPRES.
He maintains that the main concern of the parliamentary parties hasn't been "to grow, but rather not to fall in voter preferences".
"This campaign did not surprise me with anything at all, nor did I believe it could, because everyone has been actually trying to capitalize on their own base. I mean, the big thing wasn't to grow, but rather not to fall, which is true for almost all the parliamentary parties. Otherwise, a more aggressive campaign was run by the parties with a score of 3 - 4 percent, which tried to capitalize, often using nationalist accents, on all sorts of voters, like that extravagant Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR). I sincerely hope that AUR doesn't make it to Parliament, the polls show that it will not succeed, but I've seen they are a bit of 'fighters' in all areas and on all subjects. I hope that Romania keeps them where they deserve, that is at the margins of politics," the sociologist said.
Gelu Duminica expects the turnout to be lower than in the local elections, at around 35 percent.
Regarding the election winners and the possible post-poll alliances, he says that "the dice has been cast".
"I think the dice has been cast and I don't think we will have any big surprises after election. If we look at the latest polls, we see everything is indicative of this. I don't think that a two-party alliance (with the National Liberal Party - PNL and USR PLUS) will be enough; it remains to be seen if the People's Movement Party - PMP, the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania - UDMR or maybe both join in. ... Who knows?! There will definitely be an alliance of at least three. It's still to be seen if PMP makes it to Parliament. My take is that it will and that we will have again six parties in the legislature, specifically in the score order: PNL, PSD, USR PLUS, Pro Romania, UDMR, PMP. I don't think any party will get a majority score, they will all place at less than 30 percent," said the sociologist.
"Even if at the beginning, immediately after the election, the parties forming the alliance will try to position themselves as best as possible and gain the utmost from negotiation, I think we are relatively certainly headed for a center-right government," Gelu Duminica underscored.
