Victor Ponta, in Parliament, photo: Hotnews
Victor Ponta, a candidate for the elections in May, told B1 TV that the second step and the other lower levels in the PSD and PNL do not support Crin Antonescu in the presidential race, despite the vote given by the two parties in the internal forums to designate Antonescu as the common candidate of the coalition with the UDMR.
Answering the questions of the moderators, the former prime minister said that the lower levels of the first step in the PSD actually support him in the presidential race, not Crin Antonescu. Asked if he says that the PSD would not actually be with Antonescu, Ponta continued: “neither PNL”.
Further, asked who PNL actually supports, Victor Ponta replied: “Nicușor Dan”.
Asked once again if PSD supports him, and PNL Nicușor Dan, Ponta confirmed, and then said about Crin Antonescu that “he is the UDMR candidate”.
On the other hand, Victor Ponta said that the PSD leader, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, “does not agree” to this strategy.
“Because normally he does not want to come and ask him to leave the position of prime minister. After all, I have no reason to be upset that he does not support me,” continued Victor Ponta.
He stated that the “only understanding” he had with Marcel Ciolacu was not to run against him or another PSD member, because “we divide our votes.” Victor Ponta claims that he decided to register in the race when the prime minister confirmed that he would not run.
The deputy mentioned that after the visit to the US he also called Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, and interim president Ilie Bolojan.
“What I saw there had no connection with the way of making politics with the Biden administration, with whom I worked, the Trump administration in the first term, totally different, Obama. So I caught Obama, Trump and Biden, and now Trump 2.0, with another team around him, totaling another team, This, or stepped on our train.
By internal votes, the parties of the ruling coalition-PSD, PNL and UDMR-appointed Crin Antonescu as their common candidate in the presidential elections of 4 and 18 May 2025. Victor Ponta, who obtained a deputy mandate on the PSD lists at the parliamentary poll of December 1, 2024, was excluded from the party on March 12, race to Cotroceni.
The leader of the USR deputies, Ionuț Mosteanu, accused Marcel Ciolacu and PSD on Monday of “playing at two heads”.
