We are entering the last week of a presidential campaign not only with the weakest candidates in the last 35 years, but also with the most inept strategies. Their bill, almost inevitably, is seen in the rankings of the polls: the final between Marcel Ciolacu and George Simion, meaning without a viable non-PSD option.
Marcel Ciolacu has so far maintained a very good electoral line, correct indeed, absolutely non-conflictual, covering all the topics that could mobilize voters against him and the PSD.
Except for the delicate moment of Diana Șoșoacă's elimination from the race, unanimously attributed to the PSD's interest, the Social Democratic Party's strategy was not jeopardized. On the contrary, it was greatly aided by the candidates aspiring to enter the second round, in a desperate competition to stand out.
What was missing?
What none of them seems to have understood is that people did not need to hear and be convinced of some groundbreaking discoveries. They needed to hear that the parties and their candidates are aware and have the courage to discuss Romania's real problems and take responsibility for past mistakes, as an indication, there can be no guarantees that they will not repeat them.
Instead of that, they didn't know what ribbons, like troll farms, to spout. Yes, of course, Marcel Ciolacu's relationship with Omar Hayssam or Mircea Geoană's with Marian Vanghelie is important. But these topics only stir up some hardcore cores, already convinced anyway.
Most undecided voters would have wanted to hear in their language, convincingly and seriously, why it would be better for them to vote for a specific candidate or party.
Why did George Simion rise?
Why is the sovereignist movement growing in general? Because they are accessible, explicit, easy to understand, because they stay close to the street's agenda, because they seem to at least understand what concerns people. They know their electorate and target it through all accessible means, from field campaigns, person to person, to immense mobilization on social networks with well-calibrated and very accessible messages.
The response to this rise was a wave of attacks on Simion, culminating in the "Russian spy" scandal. Both USR and PNL fell into the trap, starting to hysterically demand declassification, launching scenarios. The effect?
A massive victimization of George Simion, especially since Marcel Ciolacu's declassified document does not support the espionage thesis. All the hysteria probably gifted George Simion a few percentage points instead of taking them away.
The AUR candidate takes the largest part of the anti-PSD vote not because he is exceptional, not because he has some groundbreaking solutions, not because he has sensational charisma, but because the other non-PSD candidates do not go beyond the level of hardcore cores, do not reach the citizens and their problems, do not project the confidence that they can bring even a slight improvement, therefore reasons to be voted for.
The presidential campaign has been a long series of irrelevant scandals and often poorly interpreted scores, checking off real subjects without treating them seriously. The parliamentary campaign has almost not existed, being reduced to the arena of supporting the candidates.
And no honest accountability for the recent past of governance or leaving government by resignation. Just victims and swans throwing and receiving mud.
The Bolojan Model
Before putting him in the campaign window, did anyone really ask how Ilie Bolojan's extraordinary popularity, a politician totally different from the established populist and ribbon-cutting model, is explained?
Ilie Bolojan is the only one in the electoral pretensions area who in this campaign has exposed a concrete plan, speaking simply, explicitly, and soberly about economic realities and perspectives. Why is it so hard to understand that a large segment of the electorate wants something like this?
Of course, this discourse is uncomfortable, it involves unpopular truths and mastering the subjects, much more difficult than launching fireworks. But there are people who cannot be convinced with slogans anymore. For them, there is no offer at the moment, and without them, one cannot reach the second round.
Sure, some may be attracted by the fear of worse, by the phobia of Simion. It remains to be seen if they will be enough.
Even the fragmentation of the non-PSD offer is due to the same lack of vision. The solution of a common construction should have been thought out and put into practice a long time ago. From the time when USR was dancing with the dinosaurs, and PNL was on common lists with the PSD.
And not even in this campaign did the so-called right candidates have enough wit to try a strategy that would leave open options, room for a "good day," as they say.
Many things, I don't think, are left to be done. The candidates rush towards election day hoping for a miracle that they have only managed to sabotage.