Elena Lasconi said on Thursday, following talks with Marcel Ciolacu, that he would be willing to resign as prime minister if the USR decided to support Crin Antonescu. At the same time, Lasconi added that she is willing to give up her candidacy to support Ilie Bolojan. The USR president stated that discussions will take place in the next two days to make a decision and mentioned that she will also have a discussion with the party leadership on this issue.
USR President Elena Lasconi met with Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Thursday at Victoria Palace to discuss the Save Romania Union’s options for the presidential elections.
“I told him that, for the good of Romania and to ensure we have a pro-European president—one who will work for this country and has a real chance of winning the second round, because it’s not just about reaching the second round but actually winning it—I would be willing to withdraw my candidacy and support Ilie Bolojan. This is not a sign of weakness, but of love for my country,” stated Elena Lasconi.
Marcel Ciolacu continues to support Crin Antonescu but remains open to further dialogue, with two days left to make what she calls a “wise decision for Romania.”
Furthermore, the USR leader revealed that Ciolacu told her he would resign as prime minister if USR backed Crin Antonescu. “We have two days for discussions, and I appreciate the openness I have felt in this regard. However, the prime minister told me he would step down if we supported Crin Antonescu. I told him to ask himself one question: Would any Romanian who left the country to work abroad ever vote for a president who has not worked at all in the past ten years and was known as a chronic absentee when he was in Parliament?” Lasconi emphasized.
“I strongly hope for wisdom from Mr. Ciolacu, Mr. Bolojan, Mr. Kelemen Hunor, and the representatives of minorities—let’s make a wise decision for Romania,” she urged.
Regarding USR’s endorsement of a presidential candidate, Lasconi firmly stated that it is “out of the question” for USR to support someone who “has not worked at all” in recent years. “I will consult with my colleagues because I do not make decisions alone, but I can tell you that I have traveled across the country, met with our branches, and hold daily calls with those I haven’t yet visited. At this moment, I believe it is absolutely out of the question for us to support someone who has not worked at all in the past ten years,” she declared.
Lasconi further asserted that, in her view, “if Crin Antonescu or Nicușor Dan were to reach the second round, the isolationist candidate would win.”
What did Ciolacu say?
Marcel Ciolacu explained, in a Facebook post, that the scenario of Ilie Bolojan’s candidacy for the presidential elections “is impossible to achieve”.
The Prime Minister refers to a political agreement signed by Bolojan “by which he clearly states that he will not run for the presidency, a fact reinforced recently by several public statements. I do not think there is anyone, much less the USR leader, who would dispute the seriousness of President Bolojan. He will not make any gesture that would endanger the stability of the government”.
Marcel Ciolacu calls Elena Lasconi’s intention to withdraw from the presidential race in favor of Ilie Bolojan “laudable, but useless”.
He confirms, however, that he offered to give up the position of Prime Minister if USR supports Crin Antonescu’s candidacy, while also talking about the possibility of USR joining the governing coalition. “Ms. Lasconi said ‘no’ to this solution. Under these conditions, the fact that on Sunday at noon, the candidate of the Romania Forward alliance, Crin Antonescu, officially files his candidacy for the presidential election, will spare many from making scenarios and may determine Romanians to choose the best solution for the country’s European future“, concludes Marcel Ciolacu.
That is a real shame because so many voters put their trust in her! I hope she got a good deal in exchange.