PSD's strategy to weaken Bolojan's position through Diana Buzoianu's resignation. A political scientist explains the new conflict in the coalition

The imperative request of the PSD leader, Sorin Grindeanu, addressed to the Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan to dismiss the USR Minister of the Environment, Diana Buzoianu, marks a new moment of crisis in the current governing coalition. Beyond the public rhetoric, political analyst Emanuel Cernat explains for “Adevărul” the real stakes behind this conflict: the masking of the electoral failure of the Social Democrats in the Capital and, above all, an attempt to weaken the PNL's negotiating position after the victory of Ciprian Ciucu.

Sorin Grindeanu. PHOTO Inquam Photos / George Călin

According to analyst Emanuel Cernat, the PSD has adopted a clear tactic of demonizing its USR partners, whom it presents as “the embodiment of absolute chaos”. This strategy is not accidental. The social democrats need an external culprit to justify the poor results obtained in the elections in Bucharest. Although PSD leaders avoid admitting this publicly, Sunday's election represents a failure for the formation led by Sorin Grindeanu, and finding a scapegoat has become a communication priority.

“At this moment, the leader of the party, Sorin Grindeanu, as well as the other opinion leaders and communication vectors that the party has, are trying to use the USR as an enemy, basically this tactic of demonizing the opponent. We saw these accusations aimed at chaos, the embodiment of absolute chaos by the USR. Or, at this moment, continuing this fight against the USR, the PSD finds an outside culprit for the bad results obtained in the elections in Bucharest. For the PSD, at this moment, despite all the statements made by Sorin Grindeanu, the elections that took place on Sunday cannot be considered anything other than a failure”, explained political analyst Emanuel Cernat.

The real target: undermining the authority of Ilie Bolojan

Beyond the direct conflict with the USR, the PSD movement actually targets the National Liberal Party and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. According to the analyst, by launching this attack and by requesting the dismissal of a USR minister, PSD is trying to balance the balance of power. In his opinion, this permanent tension has the role of making Ilie Bolojan's mission difficult and preventing him from capitalizing politically on the good moment after the elections.

“This request shows that the PSD is trying with all its might to maintain a variant of negotiation from positions of strength together with the PNL. Sorin Grindeanu understands that such a request, such as the one to dismiss the minister nominated by the USR, is nothing more than an attempt that cannot have a very high chance of success and, under these conditions, will maintain an open conflict situation within the coalition, a situation that will make it very difficult for Ilie Bolojan to speculate on the positive moment in which he finds himself following the election victory by Ciprian Ciucu.
After Sunday's elections, it was known that one of the main winners, obviously apart from the elected general mayor, is Ilie Bolojan, who sees himself validated at this moment following this result, and most of the voices came and said that it would be a very good moment to strengthen his negotiating position, especially in the relationship with the PSD. By attacking the USR, what the PSD is trying to do is to equalize its chances of negotiation, throwing into the fray a topic that it knows will be extremely difficult to manage for Ilie Bolojan and the National Liberal Party.”, shows Emanuel Cernat.

USR, on the ropes after Moșteanu's resignation

The situation is also complicated for USR. The formation cannot accept the dismissal of Diana Buzoianu, believes Emanuel Cernat, especially in a context where it is already in a vulnerable zone after the recent resignation of the Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu.

“As for the USR, it is impossible to believe that they will accept this option, especially in the context in which they see themselves quite vulnerable following the resignation of the Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu”, the analyst explained.

“A Bluff”

Emanuel Cernat describes the PSD action rather as a “bluff”. The only real lever of power of the social democrats remains the parliamentary arithmetic, which can only materialize through a motion of censure.

“For the Social Democrats, we are talking more about a bluff, because the only real leverage that the Social Democratic Party has at the moment is, in fact, parliamentary arithmetic. But parliamentary arithmetic is only verified in the situation of a no-confidence motion. There is the maximum threat for what the continuity of the Ilie Bolojan cabinet means. Or, at this moment, for the PSD, this threat and the use of this political leverage would represent a nuclear option. A nuclear option — and we know this very well from all the discussions about nuclear threats — it works more like a threat. If you use it, then the result is a destructive one for both the one who used the nuclear weapon and the one on whom it was used. From this perspective, I do not think that the PSD will allow itself to use this nuclear option, but rather to use it from a deterrence perspective.” explained Emanuel Cernat for “Adevărul”.