Presidential candidate Crin Antonescu, dissatisfied with ruling coalition’s support

There are tensions in the coalition, after Crin Antonescu reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the presidential campaign. Coalition sources explained to Digi24 that PSD blames the Liberals’ lack of money, while PNL blames the Social Democrats’ lack of involvement. In addition, Crin Antonescu is also reportedly bothered by the lack of firm support from interim president Ilie Bolojan.

“They are in a bit of a crisis regarding the campaign,” said sources from both the PNL and the PSD.

Crin Antonescu is reportedly dissatisfied with the way this campaign is being conducted and complained to the coalition leaders in a meeting, political sources told Digi24.

The PSD, however, warned over the fact that the Liberals did not contribute money, as was the agreement. More precisely, the branches must contribute money for this campaign.

Another problem is also related to the party’s activity, with some mayors not being willing to get involved in the campaign for Crin Antonescu, especially after Victor Ponta, former PSD leader, entered the electoral race.

Not all PNL mayors are willing to do this either, sources told Digi24. At the same time, another problem is related to the messages given by Ilie Bolojan, the interim president.

Crin Antonescu is also dissatisfied in this regard, the sources also say. He would have expected a firm support from the interim president. In the meantime, the strategy for the campaign, which officially begins a month before the presidential elections in May, is to be finalized.

UDMR leader, Kelemen Hunor: If Crin Antonescu does not win the elections, the Coalition has no way to move forward

In his turn, the leader of the third party of the ruling coalition, Kelemen Hunor stated on Digi24 on Monday evening that if Crin Antonescu loses the presidential elections in May, the governing coalition will not be able to withstand this failure. “If Antonescu does not win, this majority will no longer be functional until the fall,” the UDRM president claims.

“For this coalition to continue to exist, Antonescu must win. If Antonescu does not win, this coalition cannot move forward. We must all be aware of this,” declared Kelemen Hunor.

“It is useless to talk or tell stories if this majority with 3,000 mayors, with a parliamentary majority five months after the parliamentary elections, does not have the capacity to win the presidential elections, it means that it does not have support in society and from a moral point of view there will be huge pressure and the new president will need a parliamentary majority.

Every president needs a parliamentary majority, just as Băsescu did the necessary majority with which he can implement his own vision. And Iohannis did this, ‘My Government’, as he said, and the next president will do this. If Antonescu wins, he has this majority behind him. If Antonescu doesn’t win, no matter who wins, he will try to form a majority. From this point of view, I will be very honest and tough. Does Antonescu lose? This majority will no longer be a functional majority by the fall. This must be said, we are hiding behind our fingers in vain”, the UDMR leader also said.

Kelemen Hunor says about Crin Antonescu that he doesn’t have to win the polls, but he has to win the elections. “Crin Antonescu must enter the second round, he will win the presidential elections. I don’t necessarily look at the polls. We see some polls, we saw polls taken during the pre-presidential campaign last year when Geoana entered the second round with 25%, we saw Mr. Ciucă at 20%, we saw a lot of polls. (…) We don’t have to win the polls, we have to win the elections. Electoral campaign, correct, true messages and for Crin Antonescu to say what the problems of Romanian society are, what is his solution for solving these problems. We don’t have to impose the messages and this coalition does not impose Crin Antonescu’s messages, because he profiles this person of the future president. We provide, we support logistically, we support with everything we can, but we had no right and it would be a mistake for us to intervene over his messages,” he said.

The UDMR president also claims that it is important that the messages that Crin Antonescu sends during the campaign are addressed to all Romanian citizens.

“It is important that we manage to mobilize our electorate. His messages must be for all citizens. I felt that too with Antonescu. He wants to be the president of everyone. His messages are for all Romanian citizens. That is an important thing about his political and life experience. He is not even trying to be just the president of a smaller or more restricted segment,” he said.

Asked if there is anything that displeases him about Crin Antonescu, Kelemen Hunor replied: “Crin Antonescu needs to get in touch with the people more intensely, more, but I think that moving towards the electoral campaign this will be seen.”