PDL – the new presidential party
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Doru Francescu
At the beginning of December, Emil Boc (PD) şi Theodor Stolojan (PLD) announced the merger of parties lead by them and a new political force came into being in Romania: The Liberal Democrat Party.
Otherwise, the merger was predictable since before the European Parliament elections, although officially denied, for it is no mystery that Theodor Stolojan is closed to Băsescu, and PLD received help from PD during election campaign, at “class master’s” indications.
Reactions from politicians were not delayed and each one was more diverse. UDMR’s Executive President, Kelemen Hunor said: “I think that things entered to a normal path, PD and PLD have been together until now, too. We wish them success and happy marriage. It is a sincere blessing because you do not have to talk to two partners anymore that actually mean a single one, now you talk directly to President Basescu when you talk to Democrat Party”.
The leader of the opposition main party, Mircea Geoană said: “I think that President Basescu applied the principle’I made you, I kill you’to his relationship with PD, because it is clear that this move is a winning one for Stolojan which is the new leader de facto of this party.” He insisted in thanking President for this move that, in social leader’s opinion, will favor PSD.
Stolojan’s former colleague, Ludovic Orban stated: “Basescu has commanded, Boc and Stolojan executed”, adding that this way it will be clear for Romanians who are the real liberals.
New party settlement is not welcome even for all PLD and PD members. Some of liberal-democrats say that will even leave the new party and will return to PNL. Already four PLD members from Vâlcea, 20 members of Pătrăuţi (Suceava) organization and mermers of Bistret (Dolj) branch have done this way.
Another incentive for merger is the introduction of uninominal vote. If this will be adopted, then the parties will have a much larger interest in merging than to make coalitions (taking into account that in a circumscription cannot win but one candidate, if the two parties would present their candidates separately, these would steal each others’ votes).
Was it a hasty gesture or an efficient strategy? We’ll see after the 2008 election, when the winners will be designated.