UDMR's Kelemen: Rotation government would be a big mistake

UDMR (Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania) leader Kelemen Hunor believes that a rotation of the prime minister would be "a fundamental mistake" and draws attention to the fact that UDMR's presence in the future government will be decided only after negotiations.

"A rotation government would be a fundamental mistake, and we already saw what happened last time. Strategically, in 2022, 2023, 2024, the rotation bankrupted Romania. The prime minister does not have the necessary authority in the context of a rotation formula, especially as the deadline for his mandate approaches. From that moment on, things get complicated. Plus, it would be a pretty bad message to send to society. I said that we should go for a simple, political solution, one that it lasts as long as it lasts, because if the measures that will be painful produce social discontent, at some point a change will be required. I participated in the government in which, under the command of the International Monetary Fund, but in the context of a global economic crisis, we took the tough and necessary measures and did not last until the end of our supposed term in office. And now it is very likely that a single prime minister, with a single government, with a single formula, will not reach the end of the mandate either, which is 2028. But betting on a rotation system from the very beginning would be a strategic mistake from my point of view," he said on Wednesday to RFI radio station.

Asked about the fact that the PSD (Social Democratic Party) refuses to enter the government unless there would be a rotation system, Kelemen Hunor said: "I am far too small to give an answer to this question."

He specified, however, that the agreed solution is a political government, with a political prime minister, whose composition will be established after the appointment and completion of negotiations.

The UDMR chair underscored that he "has no doubt" that the PSD will also be part of the government, which, together with the PNL (National Liberal Party), will hold the most important ministries.

"USR (Save Romania Union) has four ministries. We would take Development and Culture, but it remains to be seen if things stay that way and if we will be able to reach an agreement on the government programme and on the fiscal programme. The way things are at this point, we don't have any influence on major decisions, because they can also do it without us (...) But being a decoration is not very pleasant, because you also pay the price later. I will decide together with our colleagues following the negotiations," explained Kelemen Hunor.

According to the UDMR leader, the Ministry of Development "has an important role," but it will not have "a great influence, especially on fiscal measures."

"But if you have to cut investments, you can't cut from the investments that come from the European Union budget. That means co-financing. Especially in transport, to a very large extent. And you have to cut from the national budget, from investments, in order to balance things. It's an important ministry and a ministry very well set up by Cseke. But in the perspective of the coming years, it doesn't have a big influence, especially on fiscal measures," Kelemen Hunor pointed out.

The UDMR president explained that the Ministry of Finance will return to the PNL, as requested by the future prime minister, Ilie Bolojan.