SI calls for respect of the democratic process and election results in Romania

The Socialist International congratulates its member party in Romania, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) on its victory in the general election held on 6 December, after it emerged by a clear margin as the largest party in the parliament. In line with the constitutional norms and practices of Romania, the party should have been given the opportunity to nominate a prime minister and to try to form a government. It is therefore troubling that President Iohannis has taken the unprecedented and anti-democratic step of nominating a member of his own former party, the National Liberal Party (PNL), as interim prime minister.

We call on President Iohannis, who according to the constitution of Romania must remain impartial, to respect the result of the elections by allowing the PSD to nominate a prime minister, instead of imposing the candidate of his choice. This comes after undue intervention by the president in the electoral campaign, during which he was critical of the PSD and supportive of the PNL. In playing such an active role in the campaign he used the presidential office in a manner inconsistent with international standards, as noted by the OSCE electoral assessment mission in its preliminary report.

The process of choosing the next government of the country must be accomplished through free negotiations between the parties elected to the parliament and without interference from the presidency and we expect these democratic norms to be upheld. The Socialist International expresses its solidarity with the PSD and its president, Marcel Ciolacu, as they seek to build a better future for all Romanians and supports the party's efforts to form the next government of Romania in line with the democratically expressed will of the people and the constitutional practices of the country.

 

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Press coverage:

Socialiştii internaţionali, felicitări pentru PSD şi apel la Iohannis pentru respectarea rezultatului alegerilor

DC News, 15 December 2020

Organizaţia internaţională a socialiştilor felicită Partidul Social Democrat (PSD) pentru victoria sa în alegerile generale din 6 decembrie, rezultat care îi face pe social-democraţi cel mai mare partid din Parlamentul României. 

"În conformitate cu normele și practicile constituționale din România, partidului ar fi trebuit să i se ofere posibilitatea de a numi un prim-ministru și de a încerca să formeze un guvern", se arată în comunicatul de presă. Totodată, socialiştii lansează un apel către preşedintele Klaus Iohannis: "Îi solicităm președintelui Iohannis, care conform constituției României trebuie să rămână imparțial, să respecte rezultatul alegerilor, permițând PSD să numească un prim-ministru, în loc să impună candidatul la alegerea sa... Read more