The proposals of the liberals to combine the local elections with the presidential ones have so far been rejected by the PSD.

The merging the dates of the elections in Romania, a thorn in the roses of the government. A PSD group, increasingly insistent lately, opposes the idea of combining the dates of elections this year. According to some political sources, the aim is to discreetly favor the AUR and push the PNL out of government. A scenario that changes the political scene. The winter of enmity...

"The desire of the nationalist wing of PSD is to get closer to George Simion. They are trying to impose a plan B for PSD, i.e. a government with AUR", state well-informed political sources. So far, there has been no reaction from the Cotroceni Palace to the counters between the two parties. Marcel Ciolacu is not part of this action, being aware that he cannot present himself to the European leaders with such a variant. But not everyone in the party is of the same opinion.

PSD was insensitive to the arguments related to the high costs of organizing so many elections. But also the fatigue of the electorate, which would be called to the polls 5 times in half a year. In 2024 we will vote in European, local, parliamentary and two presidential elections. In fact, the greatest danger that analysts see is the rise of extremism amid electoral fatigue.

Merging elections, a strategic obstacle

Despite the denials from Marcel Ciolacu, the idea of flirting with AUR is starting to take hold in the PSD, following the model of the Red Alliance/Patrulaterul Roșu from 1992-1996, patented by former communist leader of PSD Ion Iliescu and two extremists: Ilie Verdeț and Corneliu Vadim Tudor. Many pesedists believe that there is a natural right of the PSD to dictate in any coalition in which it is present. They are dissatisfied with the current balance between liberals and social democrats in government and Parliament. But especially Marcel Ciolacu's personal relationship with Nicolae Ciucă.

The solution considered by some pesedists is the shadow support of the AUR agenda, with the hope that the AUR will rise to second place, and Marcel Ciolacu will enter the 2nd round of the presidential elections with George Simion. Moreover, with the presidential elections being the last in the series, the two potential candidates would hope to share most of the seats in the Parliament.

However, some politicians may find that the USR's current strategy to attack the PNL is bankrupt. Because by demonizing the PNL, the USR loses any chance to impose a common, right-wing presidential candidate and loses any chance to enter the Parliament with more seats. This would lead to a USR-PNL alliance, which would complicate the PSD situation.

History of wrong decisions

But, as it proved in the not too distant past, see the Victor Ponta - Crin Antonescu alliance, respectively PSD-PNL, how many times the PSD got greedy and ended up in the opposition.

This time, however, playing with extremist forces can be extremely risky for democracy. Especially if George Simion were to reach the second round of the presidential elections. And he would win them only because PSD got greedy for GOLD.

This scenario could totally backfire against the PSD. Because there is a very strong current at the top of the European Union that advocates the isolation of extremists throughout the Union and in each member country. The Party of European Socialists (of which the PSD is a part) is the most vehement in this regard. Warnings to European socialists were very clear about links with extremist and anti-European parties.