Social-Democrat-Liberal alliance may form ahead of local elections in Romania

In an attempt to counter the rise of the far-right AUR party, coalition partners PSD and PLN are currently in talks about running joint lists in next year’s local elections – an alliance that AUR leader George Simion has already described as a gift.

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu acknowledged the existence of these discussions after initial denials from leaders of both parties.

PSD and the PNL are intensively negotiating the establishment of a “Democratic Bloc”, seen as a counterweight to the rise of the AUR, Libertatea first reported.

This coalition seeks to win all elections in 2024 – European, local, parliamentary and presidential, to obstruct the nationalist and extremist movements, it added.

However, the liberals and social-democrats initially denied the existence of such discussions.

“The PNL is trying to maximise its electoral score next year. (…) There are no discussions on this topic at the moment, but we do not rule out any alliance option”, Lucian Bode, PNL’s general secretary, said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, PNL’s leader, Nicolae Ciucă, said that “any political option remains open”, adding that it does not matter what the political leaders want while stressing that the electorate has the final say.

However, according to social democrat Alfred Simonis, the interim president of the Chamber of Deputies, it is “premature” to discuss such a scenario.

“If we feel that the Romanians have confidence in this Coalition, we can come up with a country program and a common approach in the following year”, Ciolacu said on Wednesday, specifying that “it is not a decision, it is a discussion.”

When asked about the possibility of supporting a single candidate in the presidential elections, Ciolacu avoided a clear answer, saying he would also want a joint candidate for the European Commission.

Simion, however, is extremely satisfied that PSD and PNL are negotiating an electoral alliance.

“It’s an unexpected electoral gift for us. I encourage and support them to do this” alliance, Simion said on Antena 3.

(Cătălina Mihai, Sebastian Rotaru | Euractiv.ro)