The theft of the Romanian treasure in the Netherlands could be used electoral, says the sociologist Vladimir Ionaș, emphasizing the mistakes of the state. Also, analyst Valeriu Turcan warns that this case has already been politicized and will influence public discussions until presidential.
Dacian gold bracelet. Photo: Marius Amarie/ Mnir
The theft of the Romanian treasure in the Netherlands, which has recently taken place, is not only a regrettable incident of cultural heritage, but it proves to be a turning point with considerable political potential. In the context of the near campaign for the presidential elections in Romania, this event could influence both the public perceptions of the Romanian state and the electoral dynamics, offering important opportunities for the political parties to win the support of the voters.
Sociologist Vladimir Ionaș and political analyst Valeriu Turcan analyze the implications of this robbery in the context of the following elections, claiming that, from a political point of view, this incident could be exploited for electoral purposes, but, more importantly, it is a test of the state and of society to manage crises and manipulations.
The mistakes of the Romanian state and the political opportunities
Vladimir Ionaș believes that “This case will be used for electoral purposes for sure, because it is the new mistake of the Romanian state”. According to the sociologist, both the initial approach of the moment when the remains of the respective museum were offered, as well as the lack of an efficient reaction from the Romanian authorities, were “Approach mistakes“Which led to a “Communication rate again”. Ionaș observes that the Romanian state did not properly manage both the time of the robbery and the subsequent communication, aspects that were used by various political parties to support their own agendas.
“Whoever was in place of Mr. Georgescu or the Gold Party would have used this moment, because with good communication you can win the sympathy of an important part of the electorate”emphasizes Ionaș. He believes that, from a cynical perspective, it is normal for politicians to take advantage of such events to win land in front of the electorate. Moreover, the sociologist draws attention to the importance of the public image of the candidate Crin Antonescu and the way he will communicate to attract the support of the PSD and PNL electorate: “The most important for him to succeed in becoming in the public perception the candidate of the PSD electorate and the electorate PNL And here it is only about his reign and how he will be able to communicate and send the messages.“
Ionaș also mentions that public perception is a determining factor in elections, even more than the results obtained from local level: “The canceled presidential elections have shown us that the impact of the mayors does not matter so much, rather it is about the public perception and the way the electorate perceives you.” Finally, the sociologist concludes that if Crin Antonescu will manage to build the image of a candidate “With chances, a candidate who represents a large part of the Romanian society, then he will be able to obtain his vote.“
The politicization of the event and the risks of manipulation
On the other hand, the political analyst Valeriu Turcan, former presidential counselor and professor of political communication and crisis communication at the University of Bucharest, emphasizes that the theft of the Romanian Treasure in the Netherlands has already been politicized, even if all the details related to the authors are not yet clarified. incident. “The theft of the exhibits will be clarified by the police, but he is already politicized, on the one hand in the interest of the sovereign and conspiracy forces, and on the other, by PSD against PNL”says Turcan. He argues that, regardless of the conclusions of the investigation, the subject has already been taken over and used by different political camps to manipulate public opinion and to strengthen certain political messages.
The analyst also draws attention to an essential aspect: the event can become an “Test of our ability to rationally debate various topics of public interest”. According to Turcan, the way the Romanian society will face political manipulations and will be able to remain anchored in reality, without being influenced by “Clichés and misinformation”, Will tell you a lot about his resistance to political manipulation. In addition, it warns that until the presidential elections, “”We will still have diversions, I think daily, the topics of public interest. ”
