Opinion poll shows ruling coalition enjoys massive popular support

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro - Feb 14, 2005)

The opinion poll conducted by CSOP (Center for Opinion and Market Research) shows that, if early elections took place now, PNL (the National Liberal Party) - PD (the Democrat Party) Alliance would be able to govern all by itself – no help needed from smaller parties.


The Ruling Liberal-Democrat Alliance - 48%; Social Democrats - 29%

The research was undertaken in January 26 - February 2 2005. According to opinion poll, the Liberals and Democrats are preferred by 47,7% of the electorate's vote intentions, while PSD (the Social-Democrat Party) has only got a 29,3% support and is going down. Among the ruling coalition partners, it is only UDMR (the Democrat Union of Hungarians in Romania) that has overcome the electoral limit with 6,3%. In case of immediate early elections, PRM ("Greater Romania" Party) would also make it to the Parliament, with 11,5%. All other smaller parties together, PUR (the Romanian Humanist Party) included, have managed to get only 4,9% of vote intentions.

As for trust in public personalities, the opinion poll shows President Traian Basescu on top (62,7%) with PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu following close behind (60,3%). The latter's popularity has doubled since November 2004. The confidence top goes on by including Theodor Stolojan (52,9%), Mircea Geoana (39,2%), former president Ion Iliescu (28%), former PM Adrian Nastase (26,5%) and hard-line nationalist Corneliu Vadin Tudor (20,7%).

The CSOP opinion poll in January is part of a research program to be periodically carried out by the above-mentioned institute.


Social-Democrats seem anxious when it comes to early polls

On Sunday, Feb 13, during the "Pro West" TV show PSD president Adrian Nastase opined that PSD would not come to power too soon and explained there was "powerful inertia support" for the PNL (the National Liberal Party) - PD (the Democrat Party) Alliance.

He also opined that early elections would not help Romania. Nastase explained that, on the one hand, a would-be large coalition government including all parties except for PRM ("Greater Romania" Party) is not an actual option, as political dissatisfaction and alternatives would no longer be expressed on ideological and doctrine grounds.

On the other hand, he said that setting up early elections just after signing the EU accession treaty in April 25 would trigger political instability and foreign investments turmoil. Former PM Nastase added: "I can't reject the idea of early elections, as Social-Democrat party has no problem with early elections. But Romania might have a problem in terms of unnecessary waste of time." He explained that early elections could take place as early as this autumn, and till then the unpopular reformist policies of the government in power would favor PSD for the runoffs.

Romania Report