The Mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, will not withdraw his candidacy in the upcoming elections in May, even if the interim president Ilie Bolojan enters the presidential race.
Nicușor Dan’s statement comes after the recent speculation about the possibility of all current right-wing candidates withdrawing and supporting a single candidate, Ilie Bolojan. A scenario to which the USR leader, Elena Lasconi, reacted by saying, „everything is negotiable.”
"I cannot comment. There is no candidacy of Mr. Bolojan in favor of which to withdraw my candidacy," Nicușor Dan said about Elena Lasconi's statement. "My candidacy continues," he emphasized, Monday evening on Digi24.
When asked if there is a possibility for Bolojan to still submit his candidacy, despite PNL and PSD already announcing their support for Crin Antonescu, the mayor replied, "I don't think so, as there is a coalition. He is the leader of one of the parties in this coalition. Each of the parties in this coalition had a congress where they designated a candidate, Mr. Antonescu. So, that's the situation all the leaders of these parties maintain."
However, even if the coalition's choice changes, Nicușor Dan's candidacy will continue.
"If he runs, we will move forward. I have my campaign. There are volunteers collecting signatures, many people who have donated money, over 4,500 people who have donated. I have a message, my campaign moves forward.
Furthermore, who the opponents will be - for now, it seems to be those who are officially announced. If something changes in these remaining 10 days until the submission of candidacies, it will not change the message I have for people and the candidacy I have announced," concluded Nicușor Dan.
Lasconi, willing to negotiate
Also on Monday, the USR leader, Elena Lasconi, was asked if she would give up her presidential candidacy in favor of Bolojan, to which she responded, "everything is negotiable."
"Everything is negotiable. I would support Mr. Bolojan as I supported him as prime minister. I believe he would be better as prime minister. And we'll see. I don't know, I just want to tell Mr. Ciolacu, he might not sleep well tonight, but I urge him to gather signatures for Mr. Bolojan, because Crin Antonescu will keep declining," stated Elena Lasconi.
She mentioned that she spoke with Marcel Ciolacu on the phone on Sunday and will have an informal meeting with him on Thursday.
Asked what Marcel Ciolacu could offer her to convince her to withdraw her candidacy, Elena Lasconi said it depends on what will be negotiated.
"It depends on what he wants to negotiate. Negotiation means you propose and see what you have to gain. I'm not interested in what I have to gain, I'm interested in ensuring that Romania benefits and that we are sure this country will not be led by the reckless or by a representative of isolationists, especially in the current geopolitical context, with the war in Ukraine, the discussions coming from the White House, with everything happening in Europe," emphasized the USR president.
Asked if she would withdraw her candidacy if Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu offered USR entry into the government, Lasconi said: "For Crin Antonescu, never!."
"For Bolojan, I could consider it, but I have stated that I would like a person I trust because I know what they are capable of, it's Maia Sandu. If the governing coalition decides and she agrees, which I doubt, because they probably think it would make the Republic of Moldova vulnerable, if the coalition agrees to support Maia Sandu, I would gladly do it and try to convince my colleagues as well," specified Elena Lasconi.
About the mandate she has for the discussions with Marcel Ciolacu, Elena Lasconi says it will be an informal discussion to see what he wants.