President Klaus Iohannis had his first reaction on Wednesday regarding the controversial PNL project that would allow him to run as an independent on the Liberals’ lists in the parliamentary elections.
Thus, the head of state stated that he did not want a law for himself and can confidently say that he will make sure this law does not exist.
"Allow me to leave the issue of candidacy or not, or what we will do in the next period for a discussion that we will have in Romania, if it's about Romania.
But, about this law, I can tell you now, because for me it is very clear, I did not want a law for myself, I do not want a law for myself, and I can tell you with certainty that I will make sure this law does not exist.
It is not possible to make a law for one person, and so I think I have expressed myself very clearly. In short, this law will not exist, and I do not want it to exist," said Iohannis in the USA.
Asked if there is another legal solution, the head of state replied: "We will discuss all these things at home."
President Klaus Iohannis was also asked how he thinks the governance will unfold until the elections, considering the recent discussions between the two parties, and whether after the elections for the president and Parliament, the two formations will still be able to collaborate.
"Normally, after the elections, the votes in Parliament are counted, and based on that, certain coalitions are formed or not that will govern. It is too early to talk about what will happen after the elections. Whether the current coalition will manage to govern until the elections or not, we will see after we return home.
I will probably have some discussions on this topic because, after all, we need governance, but that does not mean that parties should give up their political approaches in the campaign, and I do not think it is expected that in this period, the top candidates will give up their political approaches. It is a situation that will obviously be quite complex," added Iohannis.
What the PNL project provides
The leaders of the PNL groups in the Chamber of Deputies and Senate - Gabriel Andronache and Daniel Fenechiu - have submitted a legislative proposal to amend and supplement art. 52 of Law no. 208/2015 on the election of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, as well as for the organization and functioning of the Permanent Electoral Authority, with subsequent amendments and completions, which has a single article and introduces a new paragraph, with the following content:
"The President of Romania, in office at the time of the election of the Chamber of Deputies, if in the last 3 months of the mandate, can run as an independent on the lists of a political party, a political alliance, or electoral alliances to obtain a mandate as senator or deputy.
If elected as a senator or deputy, the President of Romania is obliged, after validation, to choose between the quality of senator or deputy and that of president."
The proposal creates the conditions for Klaus Iohannis' candidacy in the parliamentary elections.
PSD announced that it does not support the project, stating that a law cannot be passed for a single person.
PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu stated that there are certain socio-professional categories that cannot run unless they resign, such as magistrates or prefects, but he does not agree with any extension of this law.
"This law is not a priority for me, nor for the Government of Romania, nor for PSD. My opinion is that we have evolved as a society in these 20 years. We have not stood still. There are still certain socio-professional categories that cannot run unless they resign: magistrates, prefects.
I do not think it is opportune, I do not agree with any extension of this law, and I do not agree with any proposal that modifies the substance of the electoral law, as there is a recommendation from the Venice Commission that this should be done a year in advance," explained the PSD president.
UDMR also does not support the project that allows Iohannis to run in the parliamentary elections