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President Iohannis says chance of early elections just dropped below 50pct
President Klaus Iohannis has stated on Monday that the chances of organising early elections have just dropped below 50 percent.
The head of state was asked what are the odds for the organisation of early elections in the context of the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) decision, which established that there is a legal conflict between the President and Parliament regarding the designation of National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Ludovic Orban as Prime Minister. "They just went down. (...) below 50 percent," Iohannis told a news conference at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace. "The chances have dropped," Iohannis responded.
The head of state argued that it would be very risky to perpetuate the Government interim until December. The return to the electorate is the right and legitimate democratic solution, but it cannot be achieved only through the will of the president, it can be achieved only when the entire political situation is as such," added Iohannis.
The PNL has not failed in achieving the goal in respect to triggering early elections, the President also said. "The PNL governs responsibly, reasonably and with the best intentions, but (...) if early elections are reached or not it doesn't only rests with the will of the President, nor the will of a party, it rests with an entire political situation, and the election of mayors in two rounds was and is a desire of mine. It is and was the desire of the PNL. It could not be achieved, for the simple reason that the PSD gathered again a toxic majority, which opposed the implementation of this amendment in the electoral legislation through a censor motion. So no, the PNL did nothing wrong, but the PSD, which opposes any reforms and progress. For this reason, I think we need new legislation," Iohannis said.
În his opinion, Social Democratic Party (PSD) caused a new crisis that they deepened by notifying the Constitutional Court in the case of the appointment of Ludovic Orban as prime minister.
"PSD continues to prove that it is an irresponsible party, playing with the destiny of Romania. After producing one of the most disastrous and anti-European governments after the Revolution, which left the country with major deficits, after the Orban government resigned, in order to preserve the power of the local barons PSD created a new crisis, which they deepened by notifying the Constitutional Court. I will not comment on the decision of the Constitutional Court, as you know I have not commented on before and I will wait for the reasoning. What PSD is doing is unprecedented defiance of the people, especially these days, when Romania needs responsible political action, not for politicians to take it deeper into crisis and instability," Iohannis told the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.
He added that he will prepare some concrete steps that he will announce after the reasoning of the Court is published. "It requires a thorough analysis, but in two or three days I will communicate the next step," Iohannis said. He insisted that a new legislature is needed.
"In my opinion, the most legitimate solution is to return to the citizens' vote as soon as possible and to create a new parliamentary majority that can support a stable government, capable of building highways, hospitals, and schools and governing for the citizen. We need a new legislature to offer a new majority, willing to take on and support the reforms necessary for the progress and development of the country. We cannot continue this way, with perpetual deadlock, with governments dismissed quarterly. But we see that PSD is afraid of returning to the people and, although for three years they failed to govern, now they want to prevent from doing their job those who have proven that they want and know what needs to be done in Romania," said Iohannis.
He added that despite "PSD blockages," Romania is a governed country, even though it has a caretaker government.