Oana Popescu, former secretary of state for European affairs within the Labour Ministry, has announced her withdrawal from the race for a MEP seat on the lists of USR-PLUS Alliance 2020. She says she wants to be fully committed to the civil society, but that she will continue to support and vote for the Alliance 2020.
“I will not run for the European elections on the lists of Alliance 2020 anymore.
I took part in this process considering that I will have the opportunity to do more better, faster, to more people. I noted that-at least for the time being-it is not like that. I prefer to take the seat that is proving me the best background to make full use of my abilities, and this seat remains for now the civil society, the professional environment related to analysis, international policy, communication, etc.
I am not <quitting>, I haven’t wilted for getting hard, it is not an existential choice between to be in politics or not, I am not spoilt,” Oana Popescu posted on her Facebook page.
She announced she will continue to endorse and vote the Alliance 2020.
“I will continue to try building a political environment that, in any other circumstance, can provide me with the proper context to do my best in the public service-and then I will be back and get involved again,” she added.
Oana Popescu explained there is no connection between her decision to withdraw from the EP race with the one announced by Valeriu Nicolae a day before.
Valeriu Nicolae, a close colleague of PLUS leader Dacian Ciolos, and former secretary of state within the Labour Ministry in the Ciolos Cabinet has announced his resignation from the party on Tuesday. Nicolae, who was also running for a MEP seat on the Alliance 2020 lists, explained “he has no stomach for politics” and that he resorted to the resignation as he felt he risks losing some dear friends and that it was a lot of pressure. Nicolae also underlined that Dacian Ciolos remains “the coolest man” he has ever worked with, arguing USR-PLUS alliance deserves to be voted.