Romanian Parties React To President’s Consultation Proposal

Representatives of Romanian parliament parties commented Friday on President Traian Basescu’s statements that he would call parties for consultations if seven million people vote in the referendum and six million vote in favor of his proposed system.

1 view

Cristian Diaconescu, vice-president of Romania’s leftist opposition Social Democratic Party, or PSD, told MEDIAFAX that Basescu will have to prove that such consultations would be useful.

“Let’s wait and see how the referendum turns out and then we’ll see how the president proves such consultations would be useful,” Diaconescu said.

Conservative Codrut Seres said the president has the right to call parliament parties for consultations whenever, but what matters most is that an absolute majority of voters must vote for the referendum to be valid.

Seres told MEDIAFAX that “president Basescu may do whatever he considers appropriate, but what matters most is the law”.

Democrat Vasile Blaga said such consultations on the issue of the uninominal voting system are natural, as six million voters cannot be ignored.

However, he added, some lawmakers of the Social Democratic Party, alongside the Liberal Party, the Hungarian minority party and Greater Romania Party might vote to start applying the uninominal voting system as of 2012.

Romania has some 18 million citizens with the right to vote, and a majority of over 9 million people should vote for the referendum to be valid.

However, the president said Thursday evening on Realitatea TV, if seven million vote and six million vote in favor of his proposed uninominal system, parliament parties would be called for consultations.

The president called for referendum for Sunday, Nov. 25, where voters are asked to cast a vote in favor or against the introduction of a majority uninominal voting system for legislative elections.

If you liked this story, please follow MEDIAFAX.RO on FACEBOOK »

The content of mediafax.ro is for your information only. Republishing or using this content is forbidden without express consent of MEDIAFAX. For this consent, please ask for it by mail at vanzari@mediafax.ro.