PM Dancila says to fight in opposition to win presidential election, recapture power, if no-confidence vote succeeds

Prime Minister and national leader of the majority Social Democratic Party (PSD) Viorica Dancila said on Thursday evening that if the no-confidence vote against her cabinet is successful in Parliament, she will fight even more, in the opposition, to win the presidential election and return PSD to power. 

"It is an unrealistic scenario and I tell you why. Firstly, the organisations, mayors will not fight to win votes for any other candidate than the PSD's. Secondly, suppose the vote succeeds, I will fight even more, in the opposition, to win the presidential election and recapture power. It is the only alternative that mayors have, the only alternative that the chapter chairs have to bounce back. Had they not wanted that, they would have not endorsed me, but it is in their interest first of all, and then we will have a comparison to see what the people coming after us do (...) ?Well!', they will say, ?the old legacy!'' Dancila told Romania TV private broadcaster responding to if PSD decides to endorse independent Mircea Diaconu as the presidential candidate of the Left in case the no-confidence vote succeeds. 

Asked if she would, however, be reconciled with the idea that she will be a prime minister with reduced leverage, if her cabinet has to go after the no-confidence vote, she said: "I know what that would mean, it would not be a comfortable situation, I am no longer allowed to issue emergency decrees, except for governmental decisions, but, at the same time, I am a responsible person and I care about the responsibility of this country and about the image of this country." 

She added that if the vote succeeds, a new government must be set up as soon as possible. 

"Coming up with a government and set it up as soon as possible, but I think that doing so in the midst of an election campaign betrays lack of accountability and does not do good to this country. The censure motion is certainly the Opposition's tool, I am not faulting the Opposition for tabling it, but the way in which they go out into the public space with certain statements, with certain things they want to do, 400 furloughed people, their claim that we have no pension and salary money. So, they have not pledged not to cut pensions and wages (...) We are the country with the second largest economic growth in Europe. Instead of enjoying that, they criticise. At some point people would think these people want something bad to happen to Romania only to criticise the Government. 'My Government', 'Zero Government', has to come, they say, the same government that is now giving us a lecture, but they did nothing," said Dancila.