Dan: “USR and PSD had legitimate positions regarding the Bucharest elections”. What the president says about a second term

President Nicușor Dan said, on Antena 1, that “in principle” he wants a second term at the head of the state. Regarding the elections in Bucharest, the head of state said that both USR and PSD had legitimate positions, which he tried to arbitrate.

“It is good to have a mayor voted for by the people of Bucharest. We must have a balance, even if the temptation is to be very revolutionary. The parties have many shortcomings, in this country the institutions do not work, many politicians do politics for their pockets… On the other hand, it is legitimate what the USR says that it wants elections now, it is also legitimate what the PSD says that if we do a campaign in which we go headlong, there is a risk of destabilize the coalition. Each of the parties had a legitimate position in relation to its interests”, declared Nicușor Dan.

He stated that he participated in several discussions between the parties in the coalition related to the issue of the elections in Bucharest for the post of general mayor.

When asked to comment on information related to holding the election for December 7, the president said he would have liked it to take place earlier.

“If they are still done, I would have preferred it to be somewhere in November so that the elections do not interfere with people's preoccupation with holidays, vacations. It is a decision of a coalition, I tried to arbitrate,” said the president.

Nicușor Dan said that, as a former mayor of the Capital, he has some wishes regarding what should happen in Bucharest, especially related to the referendum he called in November 2024, at the end of which the people of Bucharest voted for the centralization of some decisions from the sector town halls to the General Town Hall, simultaneously with the centralization of financial resources.

At the same time, the head of state expressed confidence that the parties in the coalition will continue to collaborate, even if it would be more convenient for each of them to remain in the opposition in the current context, in which austerity measures are being adopted. “If I were a populist, seeing the trust the parties have in the population, I would try to distance myself from them,” the president commented.

He said that there is a possibility that one of the formations in power will withdraw from the Government, remaining only to support the coalition in the Parliament, but he appreciated this possibility only as theoretical, without being likely in the near future.

In addition, he ruled out the option of forming a government to be led by a person approved by the AUR. “This scenario does not exist, I say it with all responsibility. The parties understand the responsibility of a credible government outside,” said the head of state.

Asked if he wants a second term as president of Romania, Nicușor Dan answered: “It's early, but in principle I want it because I understood, since I've been in politics, for ten years, that doing things in society takes time.”