2020 is a very difficult year for Romania, with two scheduled
\nelections, one already postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Originally
\nslated for June, the local election was held at the end of September. The
\nNational Liberal Party, which won the highest number of seats in county and
\nlocal councils, is racing against the Social-Democratic Party, which holds
\nmajority in Parliament, for winning the legislative election scheduled for
\nDecember 6. Both parties are striving to strengthen their ranks with credible
\ncandidates who would boost their election score. Constantly accused of favoring
\nthe access of high-ranking party officials to key positions, the
\nSocial-Democrats have recently enrolled two leading doctors, Alexandru Rafila,
\nthe country’s representative at the World Health Organization, and Adrian
\nStreinu-Cercel, the director of the Matei Bal\u015f Institute for Infectious
\nDisease. The former features extensively on TV news, invited to better explain
\nthe pandemic to the masses. The latter was himself a favorite of media outlets,
\nuntil news came out of a visionary, if not utopic, reform of the health system,
\none that would help combat the pandemic and which he spearheaded. Even so,
\nStreinu-Cercel still enjoys the respect of his peers. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Social-Democrat president
\nMarcel Ciolacu says the new list of candidates include people of integrity,
\nprofessionals widely known in their fields of activity. Romania, Ciolacu
\nargues, is undergoing the most severe health and economic crisis in history,
\nand a competent and responsible Government should work with specialists to take
\nRomania through this deadlock. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the
\ncountry is on the brink of disaster, Marcel Ciolacu went on to say. According
\nto the Social-Democrat leader, the Social-Democratic Party must build a strong
\nteam for Parliament, one that should implement the governing program, solve the
\nhealth crisis and boost the economy and people’s living standards. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Liberals
\nwere quick to respond. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban believes Rafila and
\nStreinu-Cercel will be criticized by the public for their decision to run for
\nParliament on behalf of the Social-Democratic Party, and that any opinion the
\ntwo would voice regarding the pandemic is no longer trustworthy. The Liberal
\nleader finds it hard to understand how the two doctors chose the Social-Democratic
\nParty, which he claims has been systematically undermining the efforts of the
\nauthorities and specialists in the last months to limit the spread of the
\npandemic. On the other hand, the National Liberal Party has also enrolled the
\ncurrent Defense Minister, Nicolae Ciuc\u0103, the former chief of general staff in
\nthe Romanian army. Meanwhile, the Save Romania Union – PLUS Alliance surprised
\neveryone with internal quarrels over available places on the lists for
\nParliament. Some voices within the Alliance are disgruntled with the fact that
\nthe Alliance has not nominated the people who are in the first line of battle
\nwith traditional parties. In turn, the People’s Movement Party are staking
\ntheir odds on credibility and professionalism, by putting former Foreign and Justice
\nMinister Cristian Diaconescu on the top position on their lists for the Senate.<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
(Translated by V. Palcu)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Renowned experts from various fields will be representing parties enrolled in the race for Parliament<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":86100,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[35773,36660,30443,35511,29346],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-86943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-legislative-election","tag-marcel-ciolacu","tag-national-liberal-party","tag-prime-minister-ludovic-orban","tag-social-democratic-party"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n