Why did Ms. Lasconi launch the name of the liberal Ilie Bolojan for the future prime minister position is not hard to understand and largely relates to the profiling of her candidacy. There are several explanations:
1. Ilie Bolojan is one of the most, if not the most credible and powerful brand in Romanian politics. I have no doubt, and I have been writing it for years, that Mr. Bolojan would be the best prime minister Romania could have because, very briefly, he has vision, method, seriousness, and courage.
Elena Lasconi, still not legitimized for a large part of the Romanian electorate, needs a strong anchor of image through a consistent offer regarding an essential presidential prerogative. And she needs to generate impactful news that will roll out and raise her notoriety.
2. Through a proposal of a premier from the liberal area, Ms. Lasconi attempts an extension of the electoral base towards the vulnerable liberal area, which PNL offers an extremely weak candidate.
Beyond what she will gain from AUR and independents, from the liberal electorate, Ms. Lasconi can take the most valuable percentages in the very tight fight to reach the final.
3. Disturbs PNL again, after the waves created by Crin Antonescu. As proof, immediately, Nicolae Ciucă stated that he also wishes to propose Ilie Bolojan for the position of prime minister, but, we understand, he had not announced it yet.
I have no doubt that Mr. Ciucă would have been pleased to campaign with Ilie Bolojan, for the reasons I have already shown. The fact that Mr. Bolojan is not with the PNL leader these days shows that Mr. Ciucă either did not make the proposal after all, or he was refused.
In fact, Mr. Bolojan was supposed to fulfill his duty and boost Mr. Ciucă's percentages with his credibility and stature, so he could then be sent to Bihor.
Evidently, behind the stage play and the props, both parties want to continue stability; only the future combination weights are under discussion. And the roles of president and prime minister will be divided among the leaders of the two parties.
Moreover, many liberals are actually the first ones who do not want Mr. Bolojan as prime minister, as his style is absolutely undesirable, downright dangerous for them.
For Mr. Bolojan to return to central politics, an authentic reform is needed in PNL, sweeping away a multitude of impostors with whom he is not compatible.
4. Elena Lasconi announced the proposal without consulting the liberals, not even her own party, it seems, and without putting any caveat regarding the results of the parliamentary elections.
Therefore, she implicitly conveys that she will be a president like Traian Băsescu, about whom she declared on Europa FM, immediately after announcing her intention to run, that he is her presidential model.
This is exactly what most Romanians seem to think, as shown by the polls. Klaus Iohannis has tried so hard to be different from Traian Băsescu that in 10 years he managed to obtain a reevaluation of him as a type of president.
Ms. Lasconi does not have an easy life even within the party. She is openly sabotaged by the former leadership of USR, as Valeriu Nicolae shows.
Therefore, she needs as strong public support as possible, which she can only obtain by projecting the models desired by the electorate.