Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told an interview to French weekly L’Express that he would like to serve for two terms as president, arguing things cannot change in just four or five years. He also said he would be a mediator-like president and a thirdsman. At the same time, the new president reloaded the power shift idea, pleading for a new Government that should be in his consent as of 2015 or after parliamentary elections in 2016.
Asked what his relationship with PM Victor Ponta will be, Klaus Iohannis said he would keep his word from the electoral campaign, to have a different political approach embodied by “less rows, less media noise and more focus on the issues’ core.”
“You won’t see me quarreling with the prime minister on TV all day long. The fact that Victor Ponta is my former electoral foe will definitely make this relationship more difficult to manage, but I will do my best for the relationship with the government to be a fair one,” Iohannis told the French weekly.
In his view, a president should inspire the nation and not entertain it, but for that a president needs a government that works in the same direction with him. “Things cannot improve unless I have a government of the same political doctrine by my side. This won’t happen too quickly, but I hope the shift would take place in 2015 or the latest in 2016, after the parliamentary elections,” Iohannis said.
As for his top priorities as president, the new Romanian head of state revealed there are more directions to begin with, but the first of all is the fight against corruption. He also cited the revision of the way the MPs are currently elected or the parties’ financing legislation. “I want to launch in the public debate topics related to health and education,” Iohannis also mentioned, adding a consensus of all political parties is needed in this respect. Regarding to Schengen accession, for example, he considers that Romania should join EU’s visa-free Schengen zone based on the technical criteria fulfillment and that all “political” standards should be avoided.
Asked if a term is enough to accomplish all his projects, the President answered he is targeting a long-term action. “Things cannot change in four or five years. That’s why I would like to serve two terms,” he argued.