Liberal Deputy Adriana Saftoiu said on Wednesday that the PSD will win next year's Europarliamentary elections, because the party's "machinery is still running", while Romania Together Movement (RO+) leader Dacian Ciolos said that Romanians need politicians to "inspire them not just that they can defeat PSD."
The two participated in the debate "Opposition, Where To?", organized by the Social Dialogue Group (GDS) and the magazine "22".
Save Romania Union (USR) Senator Vlad Alexandrescu spoke about the parliamentary configuration in relation to the ruling party. "At the moment, the parliamentary situation is particularly difficult because of political clientelism. The Social Democratic Party is not a party that works according to ideas and principles, to more or less noble causes, it is a party that operates on a purely clientelism system. That it is why at present, the desideratum for everyone is a censure motion to pass and we are studying the best moment to table this motion with chances. That is not an easy thing. PSD's clientele mapping is extremely complicated and it changes every day, as the supreme leader, Mr. Liviu Dragnea, wishes," the MP said.
In her turn, Adriana Saftoiu said that "it is very hard arithmetically to put this government down."
"Not because there would be no tensions in PSD. It would be crazy not to tell you that in Parliament's halls, in the desks, you do not hear them complaining. (...) They will not vote for a censure unless you offer them something and (...) what they want us to offer them is the guarantee that they will remain in power," she added.
At the same time, the Liberal added, the Europarliamentary elections to be held in the spring of next year are a "party test".
"The Europarliamentary elections will give the trend, determining how the parties stand, it will somewhat decide which will be the battle for the presidential elections. (...) I am really curious what the hierarchy of the parties in the Europarliamentary elections will be. please don't take this the wrong way but PSD will still win the Europarliamentary elections," Saftoiu said.
She said that this appreciation is based on her own experience. "I am a person who has seen a lot of campaigns, has felt (...) and I know, the Europarliamentary elections are party elections, party mobilization and their machinery is still running, the whip works," the MP said and also talked about the need for consensus.
People's Movement Party (PMP) leader Eugen Tomac spoke of such a consensus among opposition parties.
"This mammoth cannot be defeated without a coalition. (...) Until we all sit at the same table, it will be quite difficult to convince the Romanians that this alternative is worthy of support," he pointed out.
Leader of the Romania Together Movement Dacian Ciolos talked about the collaboration of the new political party with the parliamentary parties.
"As regards PNL [National Liberal party, ed.n.], on our part, the doors are open. It is true that with Mr. Orban [PNL leader, ed.n.] I have not had discussions in the last few months ... (...) I think first of all things need to be clarified in PNL and we cannot do that. Obviously, PNL is an important party and it is a party that Romania needs. Romania needs a restructured PNL in such a way as to reinspire confidence and, I believe, not just to keep its electorate. PNL also needs to inspire," he said.
According to Ciolos, a political party must offer more than the removal of the ruling party.
"Romanians now also need people to inspire, inspire confidence and inspire their trust not only that can bring down PSD but also to put in place something to help Romanians to project themselves for the next ten years," he said.
At the same time, the leader of RO+ mentioned the reasons why he did not enter politics as soon as his mandate of the technocrat prime minister ended.
"I have said very clearly that I will not take part in the elections as long as I am an independent prime minister. (...) I considered that the responsibility is of those who take part in the elections, and not of a government that did not have a majority in Parliament and then be asked to come and propose a political alternative," he pointed out.
The debate at the GDS brought together MPs, journalists and members of civil society.
Comentează