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Romania: Basescu Survives Impeachment Vote

22 05 2007  But most observers are worried that the referendum's results will not halt the ongoing political crisis.

By Marian Chiriac in Bucharest

President Traian Basescu, who was suspended last month by parliament for alleged abuse of power, easily survived a referendum on May 19 on his impeachment. However, the people's verdict may not put an end to Romania's current political turmoil.

Three-quarters of voters (or some 5.6 million people) said they did not want Basescu removed from office, half a million more than in the 2004 elections when he defeated ex-prime minister Adrian Nastase on an anti-graft campaign. Preliminary results showed turnout was 44 per cent, slightly lower than in 2004. The political bickering since then has, almost certainly, increased apathy among voters.

Parliament last month suspended Basescu - who has been locked in a political stand-off with the prime minister and lawmakers - saying he violated the constitution by usurping the role of the prime minister and criticising the courts.

The Constitutional Court had ruled that Basescu did not break the law, but its ruling was non-binding and allowed parliament to make its own decision.

Basescu, an outspoken ex-commercial ship captain, who is a strong proponent of anti-corruption reforms, said that Saturday's referendum showed that the Romanian people, too, back the reforms.

"The vote in my favour draws only one conclusion: that Romanians desire the modernisation of the Romanian political class. Now is the time to have a new constitution made for Romanians not for politicians and to introduce uninominal voting system," he said in front of a few hundred flag-waving supporters outside the headquarters of the Democratic Party.

Abrasive but plain speaking, always dressed casually in open-neck shirts and moving with ease among ordinary people, Basescu is viewed as a people's president.

"I thank all Romanians and I give them all my love and respect, for the will they have expressed. I want to guarantee to them that never - absolutely never - will I negotiate their interests with any politician," he said to the crowd.

For his part, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu – a stylish, younger politician known for his passion for expensive cars - said that he would work with Basescu and respect the people's decision.

"I respect this referendum decision and I will act in the spirit of collaboration to benefit Romania," he said. "But Basescu must also understand that the Romanians have given him a second chance to begin acting like a responsible politician."

Tariceanu and Basescu, who had been allies following the 2004 elections, have since clashed on policy and attacked one another in the media. Last month, Tariceanu expelled several cabinet ministers seen as being too close to the president, including reformist justice minister Monica Macovei, and repeatedly accused Basescu of interference in the government's business. The left-wing opposition Social Democratic Party, which proposed impeaching Basescu, seized upon the dispute between the two leaders.

Four other ruling and opposition parties, including Tariceanu's Liberals, joined in voting to suspend the president despite a court ruling that Basescu did not abuse his powers.

Social Democrat leader Mircea Geoana acknowledged the defeat, but alleged that Basescu had won a victory without glory because turnout was relatively low.

Geoana said his party, which is the largest in parliament, would return to people's priorities such as pensions and health care. The European Union, which Romania joined in January this year, watched nervously as the political disputes threatened to slow critical reforms such as fighting graft and streamlining Romania's justice system.

The European Commission urged Romania on Sunday to resume anti-graft reforms. In a press statement, its president Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the referendum's outcome, but added, "I hope that this outcome will help Romania to move forward with the reforms that are needed, especially in the areas of judicial reform and the fight against corruption."

Most observers are worried that the referendum's results will not halt the ongoing political crisis. "Romania is facing a catch-22 situation the tensions between president and parliament seem set to continue.

Basescu is unable to force early election, while the parliament is unable to oust the president or conjure a stable majority government," said Cristian Parvulescu, professor of political science at Bucharest University.

"So, in my opinion, the prospects for a revival of reforms are dim, at least in the short term."

Basescu's victory already seems to have triggered some internal crises in the parties that have opposed him. Tariceanu's ruling National Liberal Party was considering its withdrawal from government following its defeat in the impeachment referendum. Late on Sunday, Liberal's deputy chairman Ludovic Orban said that he would raise a proposal to this effect before a meeting of party executives.

"Romania needs to see a stable administration capable of addressing all challenges following its membership of the EU. How can we gain quick benefits from our new membership if continuous political disputes here lead to higher government spending and slower moves toward overhauling the economy?" asked political analyst Andrei Cornea.

He, as many here, believes that only a general election could calm the situation. But the next poll is more than 18 months away.

Marian Chiriac is the director of BIRN Romania. Balkan Insight is BIRN’s online publication.