The group of PN?CD (Christian-Democrat Party) members that on Tuesday planned to ask PN?CD leader to step down gave up the respective idea, while Ion Diaconescu announced he would only resign upon request of a competent leading forum.
“Should a competent leading forum within the party ask me to resign, I surely will. I will not question the will of the party,” the Christian-Democrat leader told Ziarul Financiar, adding that the only forum that can ask for his resignation and choose a successor is PN?CD Congress, scheduled for January 2001.
Sources within the party maintain that a current of opinion has taken shape. It is supported by certain territorial organisations, pleading for the replacement of Diaconescu. According to the above-quoted sources, the current leader would be proposed the position of honourific chairman, being persuaded to resign. However, Diaconescu yesterday declined to state whether he accepts this position, saying that he was not asked to.
The above-quoted sources show that the position of executive chairman is to be filled until the congress by a team made up of Remus Opris-Constantin Dudu Ionescu, in case Diaconescu should resign. The party needs to change its image ahead of autumn general elections and “increase its top reaction speed,” our sources argue.
According to PN?CD sources, there are increasingly more voices within the party also asking for the resignation of prime vice-president Ioan Muresan, who coordinated the local elections’ campaign.
“Others should consider leaving the party and I mean those who did nothing during the electoral campaign,” Muresan stated. He ruled out the possibility of replacing the chairman: “Diaconescu is the balance element within our party. He has ensured stability. The party needs unity. Such a message is shameful.”
Sources within the party also stated that the idea of Diaconescu’s resignation has been spread for several weeks, but it has taken shape over the last two days during the reunion of a group of deputies, which included the two top leaders. They however gave up the idea saying that the move was insufficiently prepared, according to PN?CD sources.
In spite of power struggles that have affected the party during the past few years, PN?CD has never promoted personalities that might have become excellent leaders. PN?CD’s leadership crisis occurred after the death of Corneliu Coposu, who did not left behind a capable person to lead the party. Ion Diaconescu, who was just a temporary solution, only managed to maintain a certain balance within the party, which is proved by the fact that he has never been contested so far. However, PN?CD has never been able to propose a representative prime minister whom to support. Victor Ciorbea was promoted by the Civic Alliance, Radu Vasile was the result of inner conflicts and Mugur Isarescu clearly proved PN?CD’s crisis of political personalities.
The struggle for power will sharpen over the months to come, not only in the context of autumn elections. The Congress that will take place in January has to elect both the party’s president and the entire political bureau, which is to be downsized. Positions such as substitute members or deputy general secretaries, which used to be a consolation for the losers, will no longer exist.