PSD's Geoana: Romania needs a Social Democratic presidential candidate

Senator Mircea Geoana of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), major at rule, believes Romania needs a Social Democratic candidate for this year's presidential election, and that Senate Chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu running on PSD endorsement will not guarantee Tariceanu winning the election.

'Mr Tariceanu has proved to be a serious politician that meets his commitments to the electorate, and consequently he enjoys high public confidence among Romanians. Nevertheless, I do not believe in PSD endorsing his presidential bid,' Geoana says in a press release issued on Friday.

He also says that PSD has a big responsibility in relation to this autumn's presidential election, besides offering Romanians a PSD candidate.

'Given that PSD is the largest political formation in Romania and first in the vote intentions, it is incumbent on us to fulfil the clearest wish of Romanians that the Basescu regime becomes history. That is why we have to make sure no candidate of the so-called Right is elected to the presidential office, because that would be nothing more but a covert continuation of the Basescu regime. In that sense, we need a presidential candidate able to capitalise on the entire Left electoral pool. Such a candidate can come only from inside PSD,' Geoana argues.

He also reiterates that PSD's choice is simple because the list of possible candidates is very short.

'On that list, there are only two names, Victor Ponta's and mine. We are the only PSD candidates possessing enough public confidence and name recognition to get the first chance of winning the presidential election. Ponta's legitimacy for the presidential bid is given by the achievements of the Cabinets headed by him. If Ponta decides to stay the prime...