Go, Go Klaus
Romania has a new president. Klaus W. Iohannis who represented the hope and trust of some six million voters on Sunday, 16 November 2014. Most of Romania is “blue” and counties, such as Iasi, a notorious fief of the Social-Democrats, turned from red (in the first round of elections) into blue. Blue remains the colour of a large horizon. Just to cite Konrad Adenauer, “We all live under the same sky but we do not all have the same horizon”. This is true for Romania, too, and its counties. All counties in the southern part of Romania kept their red colour through the presidential elections. Except Constanta that became blue in the second round. Most eastern counties, except Suceava and Iasi, remained red all the way. In contrast, Transylvania, the west and the north of the country remained blue.
Apparently, there are three factors that contributed to the election of K.W. Iohannis as president: the emigrating Romanians (the Diaspora), the ethos of the Social-Democratic party, linked to this is Victor Ponta himself, and the political and economic context. Besides, one could also argue that the regional context also played some role.
The Romanian Diaspora was troubled and frustrated when they could not vote in the first round of elections. This triggered in return the support of those at home for the emigrants. Thousands of protesters in Cluj, Timisoara, Bucuresti, Brasov, Iasi, etc. took to the streets. By far, Cluj and its people were phenomenal. “This is Cluj” is a short videoclip cut just one day before the second round.
The obstruction of the voting right is punished by article 385, Penal Code with 6 months to 3 years of prison. Moreover, article 36 of the Constitution reiterates the right to vote. Resigning minister of Foreign Affairs, Titus Corlatean, stated that the Central Electoral Bureau was the one that had to organize more voting sections abroad given the number of Romanians working abroad, between two and three millions. Teodor Melescanu replaced Corlatean but still did not take any measures to correct the situation. According to article 12 (2) of law 370/2004, more voting sections abroad could be organized provided that the government of the respective country assist in the process. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the minister of Foreign Affairs to organize the voting sections abroad (Art. 12(3) of the same law). Based on this article, both ministers are responsible for the troubled election process abroad.
Moreover, the Diaspora brings into Romania some four billion euros annually. This proves their emotional bond with the dear ones back at home.
On the other hand, the Diaspora has allergy to anything that resemble communist practices. Romania lived through some hard times during its communist regimes starting in 1947 well through the 80s. Not granting the right to legal vote was reminiscent of the way people were silenced before 1989. This triggered a reaction from the emigrating Romanians but also on the part of those within Romania, mostly people aged 18-40 years old. That is students, mainly, but also people in their 30s and 40s, having a different mindset.
Thus, for instance the people of Cluj do have another mindset than the one in the eastern and southern parts of Romania. They are more socially active, independent, cosmopolitan and proactive. The influence of the West upon Transylvania and the western and northern parts of Romania is not negligeable. On the contrary. It has always remained the centripetal force. Thus, such ethos echoes the one of the Romanians abroad.
One more aspect regarding the Diaspora relates to their economic migration. 25 years of corruption, collusion and wanting of the rule of law for “the robber barons” have pushed, mostly, the young people to emigrate. The brain drain has become more pregnant in the past 15 years. Now, that Romania is a EU member state, the flow of people working abroad has increased.
On the other hand, the sombre past of the Social Democrats has led their party to the edge of the precipice. Ion Iliescu, a former comrade responsible for the national propaganda in the 1970s grabbed the power, together with the National Front of Salvation, in May 1990, 1992 and 2000. The emergence of “robber barons” or “apparatchik capitalists” has pushed the country towards more poverty, destitution and isolation. Romania remains the second poorest country after Bulgaria.
During this autumn’s presidential campaign, “heavyweight” barons have been under investigation, besides some 37 of the Social-Democrats that are under scrutiny by the National Anticorruption Directorate or the National Integrity Agency. Such figures, both political and economic, represent the fraudulent way various industries and subnational regions have been managed so far. The serfdom relationship between the governing and the governed ones remains one the paradoxes of EU’s Romania at the dawn of the XXIst century.
Coupled with the defeat of Victor Ponta is his ethos and relationship to Adrian Nastase who served some time in prison due to various dossiers of corruption. Moreover, the latter was the present PM’s PhD adviser. Victor Ponta has also been accused of plagiarism.
Furthermore, Victor Ponta has an extensive family network within the Romanian government. His wife, Daciana Sirbu, has been elected for the second 5-year mandate as one of the country’s European MPs. His father-in-law, Ilie Sirbu, is another prominent Social-Democrat whose name appears in one of the recent dossiers of corruption linked to massive forest lands fraudulenty reappropriated. The minister of justice, Robert Cazanciuc, is Ponta’s cousin’s husband. His two godfathers are George Maior, director of the Domestic Intelligence Service and Gabriel Oprea.
Victor Ponta’s ethos is marked by duplicity. He is actually a survivor in politics. He reminds us, like his predecessor, Adrian Nastase, of the long-gone Byzantine emperors who boasted high intelligence but who lacked moral integrity. The ambivalent reality of the Byzantine empire is mirrored in the stances Victor Ponta has often taken. One of the recent ones refers to his lying regarding the impossibility of organizing more voting sections in Germany due to the fact that the law obstructs such arrangements. However, Germany reacted by stating that there is no such law. Had the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested them, the German authorities would have organized them. Such lies uttered during TV broadcasts and referring to foreign partners may prove some deeper problems that Ponta has been having.
Moreover, Ponta’s CV has been marked by duplicity since, in the beginning, he mentioned an MA at a university in Italy. Such graduate study was never real. At the same time, his PhD thesis is proved to have been plagiarized. Furthermore, Ponta has had 17 penal dossiers out of which seven are still under investigation.
Last but not least, the national political and economic context pushed the protesters towards large-scale demonstrations. Romania remains a poor country. Given the fact that it is at the periphery of the European Union, and despite concerted efforts of EU officials and international opinion to “EUropeanize” the country, corruption and collusion are ripe. The Romanian Parliament was tagged as the 2013 Person of the Year regarding corruption by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Monica Macovei, a respected EMP, has stated that the Social-Democratic party remains “a group of organized crime”.
Tax evasion and the politicization of the administrative structures have also permeated the entire socio-economic and political texture of the country. The educational and health systems are underfinanced. Bribes and small gifts are ubiquitous while collusion remains the buzzword that characterize the political and economic classes.
Klaus Werner Iohannis has surged as a new type of president. Also nicknamed "the German", he is ethnic German from Sibiu, the 2007 cultural capital of Europe and its mayor for some 14 years. He is regarded as a more opened, European cosmopolite, together with his wife, Carmen. Both of them are teachers, of physics and English, respectively. However, within the proximity of the newly elected president are various figures of the National Liberal and Liberal Democratic parties that may prove a burden in the long run of time. At the same time, various former top members of the Romanian Communist Youth Union and communists are also present.
Romania has become blue yesterday. The country may breathe some fresh air. One that is more European and cosmopolite. Homo Europaeus is here to stay. Homo Sovieticus remains anachronic and frustrated within the boundaries of the country. Congratulations President Iohannis!
Apparently, there are three factors that contributed to the election of K.W. Iohannis as president: the emigrating Romanians (the Diaspora), the ethos of the Social-Democratic party, linked to this is Victor Ponta himself, and the political and economic context. Besides, one could also argue that the regional context also played some role.
The Romanian Diaspora was troubled and frustrated when they could not vote in the first round of elections. This triggered in return the support of those at home for the emigrants. Thousands of protesters in Cluj, Timisoara, Bucuresti, Brasov, Iasi, etc. took to the streets. By far, Cluj and its people were phenomenal. “This is Cluj” is a short videoclip cut just one day before the second round.
The obstruction of the voting right is punished by article 385, Penal Code with 6 months to 3 years of prison. Moreover, article 36 of the Constitution reiterates the right to vote. Resigning minister of Foreign Affairs, Titus Corlatean, stated that the Central Electoral Bureau was the one that had to organize more voting sections abroad given the number of Romanians working abroad, between two and three millions. Teodor Melescanu replaced Corlatean but still did not take any measures to correct the situation. According to article 12 (2) of law 370/2004, more voting sections abroad could be organized provided that the government of the respective country assist in the process. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the minister of Foreign Affairs to organize the voting sections abroad (Art. 12(3) of the same law). Based on this article, both ministers are responsible for the troubled election process abroad.
Moreover, the Diaspora brings into Romania some four billion euros annually. This proves their emotional bond with the dear ones back at home.
On the other hand, the Diaspora has allergy to anything that resemble communist practices. Romania lived through some hard times during its communist regimes starting in 1947 well through the 80s. Not granting the right to legal vote was reminiscent of the way people were silenced before 1989. This triggered a reaction from the emigrating Romanians but also on the part of those within Romania, mostly people aged 18-40 years old. That is students, mainly, but also people in their 30s and 40s, having a different mindset.
Thus, for instance the people of Cluj do have another mindset than the one in the eastern and southern parts of Romania. They are more socially active, independent, cosmopolitan and proactive. The influence of the West upon Transylvania and the western and northern parts of Romania is not negligeable. On the contrary. It has always remained the centripetal force. Thus, such ethos echoes the one of the Romanians abroad.
One more aspect regarding the Diaspora relates to their economic migration. 25 years of corruption, collusion and wanting of the rule of law for “the robber barons” have pushed, mostly, the young people to emigrate. The brain drain has become more pregnant in the past 15 years. Now, that Romania is a EU member state, the flow of people working abroad has increased.
On the other hand, the sombre past of the Social Democrats has led their party to the edge of the precipice. Ion Iliescu, a former comrade responsible for the national propaganda in the 1970s grabbed the power, together with the National Front of Salvation, in May 1990, 1992 and 2000. The emergence of “robber barons” or “apparatchik capitalists” has pushed the country towards more poverty, destitution and isolation. Romania remains the second poorest country after Bulgaria.
During this autumn’s presidential campaign, “heavyweight” barons have been under investigation, besides some 37 of the Social-Democrats that are under scrutiny by the National Anticorruption Directorate or the National Integrity Agency. Such figures, both political and economic, represent the fraudulent way various industries and subnational regions have been managed so far. The serfdom relationship between the governing and the governed ones remains one the paradoxes of EU’s Romania at the dawn of the XXIst century.
Coupled with the defeat of Victor Ponta is his ethos and relationship to Adrian Nastase who served some time in prison due to various dossiers of corruption. Moreover, the latter was the present PM’s PhD adviser. Victor Ponta has also been accused of plagiarism.
Furthermore, Victor Ponta has an extensive family network within the Romanian government. His wife, Daciana Sirbu, has been elected for the second 5-year mandate as one of the country’s European MPs. His father-in-law, Ilie Sirbu, is another prominent Social-Democrat whose name appears in one of the recent dossiers of corruption linked to massive forest lands fraudulenty reappropriated. The minister of justice, Robert Cazanciuc, is Ponta’s cousin’s husband. His two godfathers are George Maior, director of the Domestic Intelligence Service and Gabriel Oprea.
Victor Ponta’s ethos is marked by duplicity. He is actually a survivor in politics. He reminds us, like his predecessor, Adrian Nastase, of the long-gone Byzantine emperors who boasted high intelligence but who lacked moral integrity. The ambivalent reality of the Byzantine empire is mirrored in the stances Victor Ponta has often taken. One of the recent ones refers to his lying regarding the impossibility of organizing more voting sections in Germany due to the fact that the law obstructs such arrangements. However, Germany reacted by stating that there is no such law. Had the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested them, the German authorities would have organized them. Such lies uttered during TV broadcasts and referring to foreign partners may prove some deeper problems that Ponta has been having.
Moreover, Ponta’s CV has been marked by duplicity since, in the beginning, he mentioned an MA at a university in Italy. Such graduate study was never real. At the same time, his PhD thesis is proved to have been plagiarized. Furthermore, Ponta has had 17 penal dossiers out of which seven are still under investigation.
Last but not least, the national political and economic context pushed the protesters towards large-scale demonstrations. Romania remains a poor country. Given the fact that it is at the periphery of the European Union, and despite concerted efforts of EU officials and international opinion to “EUropeanize” the country, corruption and collusion are ripe. The Romanian Parliament was tagged as the 2013 Person of the Year regarding corruption by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Monica Macovei, a respected EMP, has stated that the Social-Democratic party remains “a group of organized crime”.
Tax evasion and the politicization of the administrative structures have also permeated the entire socio-economic and political texture of the country. The educational and health systems are underfinanced. Bribes and small gifts are ubiquitous while collusion remains the buzzword that characterize the political and economic classes.
Klaus Werner Iohannis has surged as a new type of president. Also nicknamed "the German", he is ethnic German from Sibiu, the 2007 cultural capital of Europe and its mayor for some 14 years. He is regarded as a more opened, European cosmopolite, together with his wife, Carmen. Both of them are teachers, of physics and English, respectively. However, within the proximity of the newly elected president are various figures of the National Liberal and Liberal Democratic parties that may prove a burden in the long run of time. At the same time, various former top members of the Romanian Communist Youth Union and communists are also present.
Romania has become blue yesterday. The country may breathe some fresh air. One that is more European and cosmopolite. Homo Europaeus is here to stay. Homo Sovieticus remains anachronic and frustrated within the boundaries of the country. Congratulations President Iohannis!