Romanian Social Democrat Leaders Diverge Over Election Results

Iliescu added this should lead to a thorough analysis, suggesting the party should call for an extraordinary congress meeting.

 

“A thorough analysis is necessary because this is the weakest result PSD ever got, and it comes three years after we switched to opposition. In 1999, also after three years of opposition, social democrats were the main political force in the country, and now it is struggling around 20%, it is no longer in the foreground, and this should get party militants thinking,” Iliescu said.

 

Such an analysis of the causes that led to the party’s situation is mandatory and it should identify who is to blame for the weak results. He added the party is in for a rough election year.

In reply, party president Mircea Geoana said the party needs tranquility.

 

“Right now the party needs tranquility and we need to focus on local elections to fill the 6-7% gap between ourselves and those who won the European Parliament elections,” Geoana said.    

He added that “for this stage”, PSD’s results are “relatively good”.

 

“Of course we were hoping for a higher score (…), but these results are not disconcerting. After three years of attacks and internal turmoil, the results are fairly positive,” Geoana concluded.

 

Preliminary results counting 85.02% of the votes indicate a 22.15% score for the social democrats.