PSD and PNL, a political cartel aligning to narrow electorate's voting options (Renew Europe's Ciolos)

"From my point of view, this is the behaviour, because there are two big parties that made an agreement not on a political programme of reform, of vision. I did not see any political programme tabled by the two parties when they decided to merge and joint lists. (PSD and PNL) are part of two different political families, with different opinions, even divergent on many topics. And only I know, as the president of the Renew Europe group for two years, how many times I mediated between EPP and S&D in order to build majorities in the European Parliament, how many times they have divergent visions and forget how easily (PSD and PNL) did this cartelization, with the single almost declared objective of increasing their market opportunities, to get as many seats as possible, without political objectives, restricting the voters' voting options and having only internal party objectives, to keep in power in Romania and for the leadership of the parties to be kept in power and not be held accountable for bad outcomes," Dacian Ciolos said in a meeting with a group of Romanian journalists.

According to the former European commissioner for Agriculture, for the Romanian electorate, (president) Klaus Iohannis "is no longer a stake because he will no longer run".

Ciolos announced that he is willing to run for the European Parliament elections as well, his objective still being the presidential candidacy, thus confirming the information that has appeared in the press so far.

In his opinion, the existence of great dissatisfaction and fears among the population and the voters contributes to the rise of extremist forces in Romania, as long as "the ruling parties do not come up with answers" to the existing problems. In addition, this dissatisfaction is amplified by the conditions of "legislative unpredictability", along with inflation, budget pressures and increased energy prices.

In addition, it is also about unpredictability at a wider European level, at least for now, in the context in which the future European Commission will come in the second half of the year with new economic, social policy objectives, etc.

"What people with weight and political competence does Romania propose to occupy key positions at the European level and to be able to take Romania's vision, interests and concerns from this part of Europe there? What are Romania's political objectives for the future European Commission? What exactly will the Romanian MEPs, the Romanian ministers in the Council, the commissioner and the president of the country, who will represent Romania in the European Council, propose? Because when you're not proactive, you become reactive, and when you're reactive, you have to deal with the unpredictable. When you are proactive, you are among those who propose the vision and, even if it will not be exactly aligned with what you left home, you would at least know that you can contribute to it, but for this you prepare ahead of time both with ideas, and with people," the Romanian MEP said.

(Fluierul)