Daniel Funeriu responds to the intellectuals who support Nicușor Dan: “You abandoned the University Square for a poll”
Daniel Funeriu, an independent candidate for the presidential elections, said for Hotnews.ro that eight of the intellectuals who signed the call for the support of Nicușor Dan told him “directly” that he would be a better president of Romania than the current mayor of the Capital, but that they will support the mayor because he is better ranked.
“Eight of the signatories of the letter for Nicușor Dan told me directly:«Daniel, it is clear that you are better than the president than Nicușor, who has a lot of unclear, but is better in the polls, so I will support him ». Six told me, in private, that they will vote for me, ”said Daniel Funeriu.
He argues that “the private statements of these intellectuals contrast violently with their public actions”, which is a “contradiction” from which “a failure of character is born and a form of complicity with the system that declaratively condemns.”
“One even proposed to build, based on the percentages I will take, a civic/political movement together, precisely because” he does not trust Nicușor Dan “. Then he signed. One proposed to me two (quality) texts.
The former Minister of Education believes that “the signatories of the support letter for Nicușor Dan missed a historical chance”, as he could “become, from observers, actors of a moral reconstruction”, but “they chose, instead a comfort position”.
“If he had the courage and honor, he would have done what Coposu, Rațiu, Manolescu and Constantinescu did in 1992 thanks to which the Romanian compass was oriented: a preliminary, real, open competition, among all those who wanted to apply. I would have accepted such a competition immediately. Their new Bible, the “combination” is their new religion, “Funeriu continued.
He claimed that Romania has become confiscated by a network of simulacre: press -of -press, parties, candidates, “public intellectuals”.
“In 1946 we had intellectuals who did not surrender in the communist prisons. In 2024 we have intellectuals who surrender in front of the polls, but claim from the University Square. It validates, without debate, a candidate in which I do not really believe,” said Daniel Funeriu.
Daniel Funeriu argues that “the letter” is the perfect illustration of the fact that we live in the culture of lie “.
“Their letter, by the lack of rigor and honesty, shows that including the cultural elites of Romania have become part of this culture. A culture in which the truth no longer matters,” concluded former minister Daniel Funeriu, an independent candidate for May elections.
Dozens of intellectuals signed a call to support Nicușor Dan
Personalities from several fields have signed the public appeal “a vote for European Romania, without corruption and extremism”, saying, among other things, “Nicușor Dan option means a chance given to Romania and the change of Marcel Ciolacu with a responsible and reformist prime minister”. Signators include Andrei Pleșu, Ana Blandiana and Nae Caranfil.
The full call:
“A vote for European Romania, without corruption and extremism
Romania is in a serious political crisis, from which the exit will not be simple. We know that the presidential elections themselves do not represent the solution to the country's problems. However, the election of an honest, credible, involved president, with a decent, rational and pro-European vision, inclined towards substantial reforms, which is not due to corrupt or extremist parties, is the first step towards exiting the crisis.
Romania is experiencing a trusted crisis first. The Romanian society has lost their confidence in politics. To this contributed the mediocrity and irresponsibility of the Ciolacu government, the prime minister's Cârdășia and of high dignitaries of the PSD with dubious characters involved in the Nordis scandal, the indolence and passivity of the former president, Klaus Iohannis, the clientelism of the parliamentary parties, the corruption of the political-administrative system, over the Russian war, techniques of manipulation and destabilization through social networks.
At this moment, Romania does not have many reasonable options for leaving the crisis. The vote for isolationist or antiocytic politicians such as George Simion or Victor Ponta, who are constantly acting against the interests of Romania, comes out of the discussion in this call, even if the polls say that George Simion will occupy one of the places in the final.
For the vote of May 4, in fact, there are two candidates who dispute their qualification in the final: Nicușor Dan and Crin Antonescu. Both have around 22%, being practically equality. The other candidates will record, after all polls, small and very small scores.
In short, the option for Crin Antonescu, the candidate of power, means keeping Prime Minister Ciolacu and strengthening the power center created around the PSD. This means stagnation and lack of any reforms. The excessive budget deficit, hidden under the prescription by the Ciolacu government for electoral considerations, will be transformed after elections in increases of taxes and taxes, or into austerity measures.
The option of Nicușor Dan means a chance given to honest Romania and the change of Marcel Ciolacu with a responsible and reformist prime minister. A new PNL-USR-UDMR-PSD coalition could be negotiated, following the resignation of the current prime minister, around a really employed program on the line of necessary changes.
In these last days before the crucial vote on May 4, we call on a responsible vote granted to the European future of Romania.
We, the initiators of this call, politically registered in any party, but concerned about the fate of the country, urge you to reflect on the meanings of these candidates and the consequences of your choice.
Europe is not an external option, but our natural space of belonging-an anchor of stability, prosperity and safety in an increasingly insecure world. In the face of authoritarian temptations and anti -European discourses, it is essential to reaffirm our conviction in the values that define us: democracy, freedom, the rule of law and belonging to the Western community.
In a crossroads, the vote of May 4 can mark either the deeper dive of Romania in crisis and distrust, or saving the responsible option-to an honest, worthy and European Romania, not just in speech.
We still have the opportunity to give a chance for European Romania, honest Romania, Romania that understands to make the necessary political reforms, while sanctioning the corrupt parties and the Ciolacu Government.
Each vote matters.
April 24, 2025
Call initiators:
Andrei Pleșu, writer, Bucharest
Ana Blandiana, writer, Bucharest
Valentin Naumescu, university professor, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Adrian Papahagi, university professor, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Teodor Baconschi, writer, Bucharest
Theodor Paleologu, teacher, Paleologu House, Bucharest
Corneliu Bjola, university professor, Oxford University
Mircea Mihăieș, university professor, Western University, Timisoara
Dennis Deletant, historian, London
Sever Voinescu, chief editor “Dilema”
Andrei Cornea, university professor, University of Bucharest
Radu Filipescu, engineer, formerly politically detained, Bucharest
Nae Caranfil, film director, Bucharest
Armand Goșu, university lecturer, University of Bucharest
Aurelian Crăiuțu, teacher, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
Dragoș Calma, university professor, University College Dublin
Cristian Preda, university professor, University of Bucharest
Cătălin Avramescu, university professor, University of Bucharest
Claudiu Mesaroș, university professor, Western University, Timisoara
Alin Fumurescu, associate professor, Houston University, USA
Gabriel Mrsa, university professor, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași
Codrin Liviu Tățitaru, university professor, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași
George Volceanov, writer, Romanian Writers' Union, Bucharest
Cristian Pătrășconiu, writer and publicist, Bucharest
Lucian Leuștean, university professor, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași
Sergiu Mişcoiu, university professor, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Smaranda Vultur, writer, Timisoara
Mihai Maci, university lecturer, University of Oradea
Laura Ghibu, doctor, Malmö, Sweden
Alexandru-Florin Plato, university professor, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași
Călin Morar, entrepreneur, Cluj
Cristian Chelariu, university professor, Sufu University, Boston
Raluca Pruna, lawyer, European Commission, Brussels
Dacian Dragoș, university professor, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Luminița Tuleașcă, university lecturer, Romanian-American University, Bucharest
Laurentiu Ștefănescu, entrepreneur, Timișoara
Florea Ioncioaia, historian, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași
Dan L. Nicolae, university professor, University of Chicago, USA
Marius Dragomiroiu, IT engineer, Cluj
Alexander Baumgarten, university professor, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Emanuel Conțac, conf. Univ. Dr. Habil., Bucharest
Iulian Fruntașu, writer, Chisinau
Cristian Pop, IT specialist, Cluj
Romeo Stavat-Vergara, engineer, Constanta
Raluca Moldovan, university lecturer, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Mihai-Emilian Ivanov, analyst and trader, Macro Traders, Bistrița
Ana Maria Albulescu, researcher, Tartu University, Estonia
Paul Marinescu, researcher, Bucharest
Thomas Tolnai, Linguist, Cluj
Eugen Tischler, engineer, Cluj
Livia Morar, doctor, Lyon
Ioana Boca, historian, Civic Academy Foundation, Bucharest
Radu Vancu, writer, Sibiu
Ioana Popa, researcher, CNRS, France
Cristi Danileț, former judge, university lecturer, Oradea
Ottmar Trașcă, scientific researcher, “George Barițiu” Institute of History, Cluj
Adrian Codîrlașu, Economist, Bucharest
Daniel Sandu, IT specialist, Toronto, Canada
Diana Botău, university lecturer, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Marius Harosa, university lecturer, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Manuela Petrescu, project manager and university lecturer, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj
Alina-Ioana Vasiliu, journalist, Constanța
Virginia Ion, historian, Civic Academy Foundation, Bucharest
Ana-Maria Gîrleanu-Guichard, university lecturer, Strasbourg University
Cosmin Popa, researcher, “Nicolae Iorga” Institute of History, Bucharest
Georgeta Pop, historian, Bucharest
Corneliu Stănescu, physicist, university professor, Bucharest
Speranța Munteanu, financial consultant, Bucharest
Rodica Medoia, accounting expert, Bucharest
Marina Samoilă, economist, Bucharest
Șerban Samoilă, engineer, Bucharest
Tudor Dunca, engineer, Bucharest
Constantin Martian, engineer, Bucharest
*
The list is open for signatures ”, the call shows.
