Politics in Romania

Political migration from one party to another, stimulated by the upcoming local elections, keeps changing the balance of power in the Romanian Parliament. The most affected is the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has been deserted by dozens of membe

Eugen Cojocariu, 26.04.2012, 17:11

Political migration from one party to another, stimulated by the upcoming local elections, keeps changing the balance of power in the Romanian Parliament. The most affected is the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has been deserted by dozens of members. Supported by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the National Union for the Progress of Romania, Liberal-Democrats are now looking for solutions to stop these desertions. PM Mihaela Popa, whose joining the Liberal Party deprived the power of majority in the Senate, explains her decision:





Mihaela Popa: “Success in politics can only be achieved by building democracy within a party. I’ve said it and you, the media, stressed it: a party cannot build democracy in Romania without democracy within the party.”





The current power is in full process of dissolution, believes liberal senator Puiu Hasotii, who knows of MPs who are ready to join the opposition. The opposition getting stronger could cause the Ungureanu government lots of headaches, as the government is about to face the first no-confidence motion since taking office. The former Prime Minister, Emil Boc, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, is skeptical about the opposition’s chances of success.





Emil Boc: “The coalition is stable and has the majority it needs to dismiss the no-confidence motion. The Ungureanu government will stay in office, despite the censure motion filed by the Social Liberal Union. We will start the election campaign with those who really believe in the right values and are not opportunist. It’s time we cleansed the Liberal Democratic Party from opportunists.”





Those who decided to leave the party say their decision has nothing to do with opportunism. The former vice-president and one of the founders of the Liberal Democratic Party, Sorin Frunzaverde, who hit the party hard by joining the Liberals a month ago, says he is trying to build within the Liberal Party, a strong right wing movement, as the Justice and Truth Alliance once was.





Part of that alliance, the democrats and the liberals would run together in the election eight years ago, to win both local, legislative and presidential elections. Three years later, in April 2007, the alliance broke up. This year’s local elections, to be held on June 10th, as well as the legislative ones, due in autumn, will see the former partners running from opposite positions, separated by irreconcilable differences.