Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu recently argued, during a TV interview, that Romania can bear the financial costs of holding all of its elections separately, dismissing the scenario put forth by coalition partners PNL of holding at least some of them simultaneously. 

The head of the executive and leader of the Social-Democratic Party said that the present governing coalition could be rebuilt only after the elections. “It's very hard to have an alliance and joint lists at this moment. But it's possible that, after the elections, if the Romanians decide so, we could rebuild this coalition," he said.

Ciolacu also said that the next president of Romania should be left-wing. “I think that after 20 years and especially after multiple crises, it's time, in Romania, for there to be a left-wing president, a person who feels from the left, who believes in social equity,” Ciolacu added, cited by HotNews.

Discussions about merging elections have been going on for months among Romania’s ruling coalition. Liberals believe that this could increase their score and save money, but the Social Democrats have not agreed to merge any elections. 

Four rounds of elections will take place in 2024 in Romania: European parliamentary, local (for mayors, local councilors), parliamentary, and presidential.

The variant insisted on by PNL is the merging of local elections with the first round of the presidential elections, but that would go against a decision from Romania’s Constitutional Court and recommendations from the Venice Commission. Analysts consulted by Europa Libera say that PNL’s insistence on merging elections reveals the fact that their priority is to keep far-right challenger AUR down in the polls. 

According to a recent INSCOP poll, the ultra-nationalist opposition party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, would have 20.2% of voters’ support in the next elections, above the Liberals’ 18%. First place would go to the Social Democrats, with roughly 30% of the votes.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: gov.ro)