PNL confirms Basescu as presidential candidate

Traian Basescu was yesterday confirmed as presidential candidate for the PNL-PD Alliance by the PNL Standing Delegation, a larger caucus of the party. The Alliance is formed by the National Liberal Party and the Democrat Party. At the same time, the interim liberal leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu announced the party’s “determination” to continue with the political programme as outlined in the political protocol and programme of the Alliance signed by Traian Basescu and Theodor Stolojan as co-chairmen.

PNL also reconfirmed that if the Alliance wins the upcoming elections, it will implement the government programme announced shortly before Theodor Stolojan’s withdrawal as candidate and that decisions made previously about parliamentary lists and the electoral programme would not be modified. The programme includes: the introduction of a flat-rate tax of 16%, pension re-calculations, reform of education and the full restitution of farm land and forests.

Though confirmation of support for Basescu in the electoral race could be considered no more than a formality, the decision taken by the Liberals yesterday is nonetheless extremely important. Some voices in the Standing Delegation said it would benefit the Liberals more to “take fate into their own hands” and back their own presidential candidate without breaking away from the Alliance. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu confirmed this information, adding that the suggestion was dropped because of the short time left before the elections, which did not allow for the building of “another political vector.” Party sources say those that advocated selection of an own PNL candidate included former vice-chairmen Dinu Patriciu and Viorel Catarama. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu was reportedly nominated as a candidate, but lacked sufficient support.

Yesterday PNL chose to tone down its previous statements concerning the reasons for Theodor Stolojan’s choosing to quit politics. Tariceanu did not dismiss political blackmail as a possible motivation, which Traian Basescu had referred to, but said he was unable to confirm it for lack of information.
mirela.luca@zf.ro ; iulian.anghel@zf.ro