Putin – Medvedev strategy? Romanian president admits interest in the PM seat, should former PM be the president

Despite having previously said he plans to withdraw from politics after ending his mandate, Romanian president Traian Basescu recently admitted he could see himself being the country's Prime Minister. But with a condition: that Emil Boc, a former Prime Minister under Basescu's presidency, would be the country's president. The duo – thus shaped on the Putin – Medvedev strategy of exchanging PM/president seats – is something the curent Romanian president could see for himself in the future, but his priority is growing the Popular Movement Party PMP by 2016, so as to form the majority in the Romanian Parliament. “With Emil Boc running for president, a man I would have the utmost trust, for his honesty and faith in the country, and for him knowing to place the country's priorities above party priorities,” Basescu further explained. Russian president Vladimir Putin also served as PM under the helm of Dmitri Medveded, who is currently the Prime Minister. Attending a TV show at ProTV over last weekend, when asked whether he could see himself a prime minister after ending his presidential mandate, Basescu said: “I am not saying I wouldn’t see myself in this position. Why discard the idea?” The statements come after the president had openly criticized the current Prime Minister Victor Ponta and the recent split in the Social Liberal Union USL. Basescu also said that if the PM plans to present a new Government platform and structure, then the PM seat itself should also be vacated. Traian Basescu's mandate ends in December this year, when presidential elections should also be organized. Also interested in the presidential seat are the Liberal leader Crin Antonescu, and the former liberal leader and former PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu,who just left the liberal party to create his own. About a year ago, Traian Basescu said he plans to withdraw from politics after his second presidential mandate ends, and plans to dedicate himself to agriculture, among others pursuits. editor@romania-insider.com