Before today’s informal discussions of President Dan with the political parties, there is a serious discussion about the fact that the name of the prime minister would not be important. First, the governance program must be established, and somehow, in the end, handed over to the designated person, whoever that may be.
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It would be a bizarre way to put the cart before the horse and further distort our constitutional logic, which seems to be incomprehensible to many people, including politicians.
Of course, a detailed and coherent governance program, as UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor talks about, is desirable. A path with precise milestones, well-marked, is undoubtedly preferable to a chaotic adventure.
But any natural discussion about a governance program is held with the designated prime minister at the head of the table. The President appoints them not to hand over the majority and the program for execution, but, on the contrary, to create a governance program together with the majority, which they must transform into a functional mechanism of governance.
Indeed, it is useful for the President to go on a round of talks to understand to what extent they can harmonize the agendas and conditions of the parties and, of course, some preferences for the government leadership.
Therefore, a serious discussion about a coherent and consistent governance program begins only after the appointment of a prime minister. Otherwise, you take away from the prime minister the essential attribute of authority and turn them into an annex of the coalition parties whose orders they are to execute, without any power over the ministers who should feel that power still lies with the party, not at the head of the table in Victoria Palace.
As Mr. Bolojan said about the future prime minister? They should have a majority, authority, and partners. They will only have them if they are the first violin of the government bearing their name.
I have said it before when it was extremely unpopular. When a prime minister wants to change a minister, they cannot be held back by protocols, party leaders, or other arguments. It is their team, and they decide. According to the Constitutional Court, not even the President can stop them.
Secondly, the extremely populist idea is circulating, I have heard it from both PSD and USR, that the people who will hold portfolios do not matter at all, only the ideas, the program.
Of course, ideas and the program matter, but I have not seen a good idea, a wonderful program that has not been shattered if entrusted to an incompetent person. On the contrary, therefore, it is extremely important who will compose the team to implement the governance program.
Furthermore, future ministers must be part of the composition of the governance program in the areas they will lead. Otherwise, they cannot be efficient.
A minister is not a bureaucrat tasked with executing directives. They are a political figure, with political responsibility, their own vision and political personality, who must devise and secure a budget for their area, implement it, develop projects, think and apply reforms, manage crises. Therefore, they must be competent in their field, not an executor dependent on advisors to explain every letter to them.
We have had ministers who found out about the governance program from the press, and it was a disaster.
From what I understand, in fact, the real political discussions are currently focused on positions and individuals, but they are non-transparent and without criteria. This should be the essential difference.
Proposals should be transparent, based on clear criteria of competence and integrity, which would naturally solve part of the portfolio allocation. Let each take the areas they have something to offer for.
The good governance that we have been waiting for so long, and for which Nicușor Dan was elected, must start with respecting the basic political rules, it must set off with the horses in front of the cart. Otherwise, it will not get anywhere.
Ultimately, the people being led either trust or do not trust the people leading them, not the letters on some sheets of paper that 90% of them don't even read.
Furthermore, the starting point of any program was laid on the table Tuesday evening by the Minister of Finance. Although revenues, including VAT, have increased, "ensuring income sources for maintaining the investment pace and paying the increased salaries and pensions from last year represents a huge challenge."
For the first time, the Minister of Finance talks about difficulties in paying pensions and salaries. This is what the future prime minister and future government will inherit, and if they are not the best and fully committed, the next step is national bankruptcy. There is no room for maneuvers anymore.