A new scandal regarding the elections: the composition of the polling stations

In the emergency ordinance (EOG) regarding the organization of the June 9 elections, the government changed the way parties are represented in the polling stations, which would lead to the removal of PMP people, a party that under the old legislation had the right to members.

Romanians are called to the polls on June 9 PHOTO Shutterstock

One of the substantial changes that the PSD and PNL-controlled Government made in the OUG regarding the merger of the June 9 elections is that in the polling stations, the same for the European Parliament and local ones, they explicitly reserved a place for national minorities, even if they do not have MEPs.

Thus, firstly, the parties with a parliamentary group and the formations from the minority group will be represented, and secondly, the political parties with MEPs after the 2019 elections, in descending order of mandates. A polling station will have a chairman, deputy and 7 members. As there are six parliamentary groups in the Parliament, PSD, PNL, USR, AUR, UDMR and the minorities, only one seat remains for the second stage of the allocation. And REPER, with five MEPs, and PMP, with only two MEPs, are fighting for this seat.

In the previous legislative provisions, national minorities did not have a place reserved for polling stations, which would have allowed both PMP and REPER to have members, given that they do not have any MEPs.

Removing a European party from the polling stations is an unprecedented attack on democracy”stated the leader of the PMP, Eugen Tomac, who emphasized that he would notify “international institutions about this unprecedented abuse”.

Change of party to automatic fire

In the case of trasist mayors, the Government decided that an incumbent mayor can decide until the candidacy is submitted if he changes his formation and switches to another party, without losing his mandate. More precisely, the term is until the end of April.

In the case of the OUG for the June 9 elections, a possible notification to the CCR could only be made by the People's Advocate, led by Renate Weber. Contacted by “Adevărul”, Weber specified that first she must see with her colleagues what exactly the Government's latest GEO stipulates, then a decision is made regarding whether or not to notify the CCR, “just as it happens in the case of all ordinances”.

One warm, one cold at REPER

Although it would now be gaining members at the polling stations, REPER is facing some internal problems, with several resignations at the top of the party. According to “Adevărul” information, Dragoș Tudorache (Member of the European Parliament and former Minister of the Interior) and Alin Mituță (Member of the European Parliament) resigned from the National Office. Dragoș Tudorache confirmed for “Adevărul” that he resigned from the National Office, explaining that he will remain involved in the campaign as much as he can.

The formation led by Ramona Strugariu and Dragoș Pîslaru has deficiencies in terms of party cadres: on a labor recruitment platform, an announcement of the formation is given for 30 member places in the polling stations, in cities such as Bucharest, Cluj , Craiova, but also in the counties of Brașov, Sălaj and Maramureș.