Romania – presidential elections: Klaus Iohannis says he won’t negotiate for votes, is backed by European People’s Party

Sibiu’s mayor Klaus Iohannis, who came second in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania, on Sunday, November 2, said he won’t negotiate with other candidates to get the votes of their supporters in the second round. Meanwhile however, others are negotiating for him. The leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), Joseph Daul, said that all Romanian parties which are members of the EPP should back Iohannis. Iohannis, who was supported in the first round of the elections by the Cristian Liberal Alliance (ACL), a political structure made of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) hopes to get the support of all “center-right oriented” Romanians. “I will not directly negotiate with any politician, I want the votes of all Romanians who believe I can make a difference in Romanian politics,” said Iohannis. Despite his official statement, political negotiations are important for the outcome of the elections. The president of the European People’s Party (EPP), Joseph Daul, expressed his support for German ethnic Iohannis and asked all Romanian political parties affiliated to the EPP to back him in the second round of the elections. This includes Elena Udrea’s Popular Movement Party (PMP), Kelemen Hunor’s Democratic Maghyar Union (UDMR), as well as PNL and PDL, which already support Iohannis. Elena Udrea came fourth in the first round of the elections, with 5.2% of the votes. She was backed by Romania’s current President Traian Basescu. Hunor Kelemen got only 3.5% of the total votes, but he came first in two of Romania’s 41 counties, Harghita and Covasna, where Magyar ethnics are in majority. Daul’s message also includes former justice minister Monica Macovei, who run in the elections as an independent and got 4.46% of the votes. Macovei is also a member of the European Parliament and part of the EPP group. Iohannis, who got 30.44% of the votes in the first round and is almost 10% behind Prime Minister Ponta, needs all the support he can get from the three and more if he is to win the elections. If he were to get all the votes from the three candidates, Iohannis would reach about 47.6%, which is short of the 50% plus one vote which is his target to win the elections on November 16. Meanwhile, those in Ponta’s team are more relaxed and hope to win the elections by a comfortable margin, 54% to 46%, according to the vice-president of the Social Democratic Party Liviu Dragnea. editor@romania-insider.com