The democrat-liberals (PDL) lash at the opposition. Nothing new under the sun. The PDL leaders met this weekend at the seaside to discuss political matters. Instead of looking at their own courtyard, they seemed more preoccupied with the opposition social-liberal union (USL).
PM Boc, PDL leader, had nothing better to do than comment on opposition leaders’ abilities, as if he was in opposition and the others were not ruling the country properly… ‘USL leaders are marked by involution with the speed of light,’ he said. ‘Ponta (o. n. – social-democrat leader) is weaker than Geoana (former head of the party) as Geoana had been a light compared to Ponta. PNL (the liberals) is going nowhere. PNL is dissolving itself,’ Boc said.
He continued criticizing characters such as Mazare (social-democrat mayor of Constanta city), former PSD head Ion Iliescu (as the ‘red patriarch’), conservative honorary leader Dan Voiculescu (for his relations before 1989 with Securitate) and so on.
1. By comparing Ponta with Geoana, PDL intends to ‘seed’ dissensions within PSD. It is obvious PDL is on free fall. Boc has a popularity of some 11 per cent, while PDL would be voted by some 14-17 per cent of the population, opinion polls reveal. So, as chances to win the next elections are slim (at least according to the current opinion polls) PDL is lashing against opposition, as if they were to blame for the ruling party mistakes and incapacity to stimulate the economy. More than that, why not try to break the USL alliance (which stands at more than 50 per cent in popularity – the same opinion polls show)?
2. Mr. Boc mimics amnesia. He want to tell us he has forgotten his party had been allied with Mr. Voiculescu’s conservatives during 2005-2008. Was Mr. Voiculescu another character at the time? Wasn’t the same person which had collaborated with Securitate?
3. The only solution to remain in power seems to be, for PDL, an alliance with the liberals. That’s why the main target of criticism is PSD and not PNL. PNL is only warned it might face extinction after the elections. Democrat-liberal leaders have constantly said they would like to draw up a new alliance with PNL.
4. By criticizing the opposition, Mr. Boc is changing the focus from real problems (such as free fall of the standard of living, unemployment, low level of salaries and pensions, etc) to ideological and political issues. Nice try.
Meanwhile, the opposition itself is putting pressure on PDL. Liberal leader Crin Antonescu said on a private TV channel that PDL faces the perspective of ‘disappearance’ if it loses general elections in 2012. On the other hand, Antonescu said if PDL wins the elections, other parties face extinction. ‘If they lose, the party-state which is PDL, is going to disappear from the political scene,’ the liberal leader said.
Well, let’s just wait and see. One year to go and we’ll find out which parties will vanish. Until then, we should note that the unofficial electoral campaign has already started. Such statements will become more and more acid and tough as we approach the local and general elections due next year.
Maxy