Romanian Elections&Politics (June 9th - Local and europarliamentary elections)

[CumbrianLefty]

Also, a very clear pattern is starting to emerge in Romanian politics.

2012-2016  PSD won the 2012 election in an electoral landslide (with the help of PNL) after the austerity measures of Basescu, and went on to lead one of the most destructive and incompetent governments in Romanian history (the Ponta governments). In 2015, that government collapsed upon itself due to its extreme unpopularity and ineffectiveness. PNL and Iohannis unofficially assumed power with the technocratic Ciolos cabinet, but early political mistakes, the PSD agents infiltrated in the institutions and PNL being a party of open infighting and arguments at the time, it was unpopular too. Meanwhile, PSD got a new brand, a new leader and a new platform promising radical reforms both within the party and the country. PSD won in a landslide the election of 2016.

2017-2020 After winning the 2016 election, PSD went on to lead the most destructive and incompetent governments in Romanian history (the Dragnea governments). In 2019, that government collapsed upon itself due to its extreme unpopularity and ineffectiveness. PNL and Iohannis officially assumed power with the Orban cabinet, however early political mistakes and the coronavirus crisis made it unpopular too. Meanwhile, PSD got a new brand, a new leader and a new platform promising radical reforms both within the party and the country.

Guess what comes next?

Despite the (doubtless superficial) ideological differences, PSD sound very like the UK Tories

[CumbrianLefty]

Yes, I recall accounts of how the RCP was both the biggest ruling party in the former Eastern bloc *and* the least "ideological". Presumably it was a bit more orthodox Marxist/Leninist in the pre-Ceausescu days?

[CumbrianLefty]

So the TLDR version is "they've mostly been rubbish"?

[CumbrianLefty]

Petre Roman - there's a blast from the past all right.

Though hasn't he supported right wing parties/candidates in more recent years?

[CumbrianLefty]

He gave the classic speech that PSD gives after losing elections, namely putting all of the blame on the former leaders, saying the opponents are even worse and promising changes.

Tbf isn't that the stock speech of most new party leaders after an election loss

[CumbrianLefty]

And we think politics in the UK is cynical.......

[CumbrianLefty]

and it shows how much Romania is evolving towards being a Western democracy.

Which may be a bit of a mixed blessing!

[CumbrianLefty]

So, was the PSD topping the poll a surprise?

(especially since a low turnout wouldn't normally be expected to favour them)

[CumbrianLefty]

AUR support highest amongst the young - was that expected?

[CumbrianLefty]

Greater Romania Party - 0.6%

So this is still (just about) a thing?

[CumbrianLefty]

Yes, but voters having a "short attention span" can work in more than one way.

I wouldn't panic just yet

[CumbrianLefty]

I genuinely did not realise things got that bad in Romania by the mid-1990s.

Almost the late Ceausescu years all over again.