The events of yesterday produced no clarifications as to which of the two main political blocs in Romania would form the new government. PSD (Social Democrat Party) and PUR (Romanian Humanist Party) are proposing a national union government, which is an old idea of incumbent President Ion Iliescu. On the other hand, the PNL-PD Alliance, which is formed by the National Liberal Party and the Democrat Party, is refusing to join an expanded governmental formula that would include PSD. The PNL-PD Alliance co-chairman, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, said yesterday that any political construction including PSD would make it impossible to achieve the main goal announced by President Traian Basescu: the fight against corruption.
The PNL-PD Alliance is relying on forming a majority with PUR and UDMR (Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania). Although these parties were first approached by PSD after the first round of elections, after Traian Basescu's victory in the presidential runoffs, they since hinted they might change their position. And some voices inside UDMR are now also speaking in favour of starting talks with PNL and PD.
The PNL-PD Alliance has yet to play its trump card, which is the constitutional prerogative of the president to nominate a candidate for the position of prime minister. The prime minister can form a government but will need a parliamentary majority so that the new cabinet can be endorsed by parliament.
PUR and UDMR, the two referee parties in these elections, could push the balance in one direction or the other. As of yet, both parties have been hesitant in openly declaring their support for either the PSD or PNL-PD Alliance, not wishing to "burn any negotiation bridges" with either party.
PUR leader Dan Voiculescu yesterday suggested that PSD, PUR, UDMR and the national minority deputies should form a parliamentary majority and then later invited the PNL-PD Alliance to join them "for a large national pro-European concentration government". This would supposedly create a national union government that would leave only PRM (Greater Romania Party) among the ranks of the opposition.
At the same time, the PUR leader said his party was open to co-operation with the PNL-PD Alliance to negotiate a majority for parliament. Talks between the leaders of this party and the co-chairmen of the Alliance, Traian Basescu and Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, were announced last night.
Another statement does not rule out both negotiation options. Dan Voiculescu said the best option for prime minister of a government that would also include PSD would be Adrian Nastase. At the same time, the PUR leader said that if a government headed by the prime minister designate of the Alliance, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, were to secure a comfortable majority in parliament and guarantee political stability, then "PUR would not vote against it."
PUR's stand was read by PSD leaders as confirmation that the agreement reached before Traian Basescu was elected still stands. PSD is another supporter of a national union government that would include the PNL-PD Alliance.
One of the first responses to this came from incumbent President Ion Iliescu, who will return to PSD in a matter of days.
Iliescu is in favour of a government that would bring together the parliamentary forces of left and right, an idea he has been promoting for a long time.
mirela.luca@zf.ro
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