PSD announces that it will convene the National Permanent Bureau on Monday, during which various current topics will be discussed.
Representatives of the party say that among the topics of discussion is the draft law that would allow the President of Romania to run in the parliamentary elections on December 1, 2024, as an independent candidate on the lists of a political party or political alliance.
The Social Democrats will also discuss the assessment of the floods and the measures taken by the PSD administrations, as well as preparations for the electoral campaign.
On Wednesday, the National Liberal Party (PNL) submitted a bill to the Senate that would allow the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, to run as an independent candidate on a party's list in the parliamentary elections on December 1, even though he is still in office.
The Constitution states that "during the term, the President of Romania cannot be a member of a party and cannot hold any other public or private office."
If elected as a senator or deputy, the President of Romania is required, after validation, to choose between being a senator or deputy and being the president, according to the project signed by PNL parliamentarians Gabriel Andronache and Daniel Fenechiu, PNL group leaders.
The bill has a single article and introduces a new paragraph, with the following content: "The President of Romania, in office at the time of the Chamber of Deputies election, if in the last 3 months of the term, can run as an independent candidate 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 required, after validation, to choose between being a senator or deputy and being the president."
The initiators state, in the explanatory memorandum, that the legislative solution justifies its urgency by the fact that "we are in a situation where some citizens are denied the right to be elected, even though they meet all constitutional and legal conditions to exercise this right."
"The legislative solution respects the recommendations of the Venice Commission, as it is in favor of expanding the content of the right to be elected, rather than restricting this fundamental electoral right," the Liberals specify. They mention that the legislative initiative has no impact on the state budget.
The legislative proposal comes in light of information regarding Klaus Iohannis's candidacy for the Senate in the parliamentary elections on December 1, information following which the Presidential Administration stated that the head of state will complete his term and does not intend to resign from the position of president.
Following the proposal to amend the Parliamentary Elections Law, the President of the PNL, Nicolae Ciucă, stated that PNL is not offering a job to Klaus Iohannis, and it depends on the Romanian people's vote whether he will be part of the future Parliament or not, in case he decides to run.