A mayor without a council is an mayor “without hands”, capable only of a media spectacle. This is the conclusion of political analyst Radu Delicote, who explains for “Adevărul” why Ciprian Ciucu is obliged to play with “all the cards on the table” in order to secure a stable majority in the General Council, regardless of the political color of the partners.
The negotiations for the formation of the majority in the General Council are expected to be quite difficult for the elected mayor of the Capital, Ciprian Ciucu. Faced with a Council made up of no less than eight political parties, Ciucu will have the difficult task of finding an absolutely binding consensus for his administrative survival. Asked on Sunday evening with whom he wants to form the majority in the General Council, the future general mayor declared that his first option is a coalition between the current governing parties: PSD, PNL, USR and REPER.
At the moment, PSD has 16 councillors, USR has 13 councillors, PNL has 7 councillors, PUSL has 6 councillors, AUR has 5 councillors, REPER has 4 councillors, and PMP and FD have 2 councilors each.
Contacted by “Adevărul”, PSD and USR representatives avoided commenting on this subject, a sign that no official decision has yet been made at the level of the organizations regarding the negotiation mandates. Instead, the representatives of REPER, the formation that supported Ciprian Ciucu, reminded that there is a collaboration protocol with the elected general mayor.
“REPER will only support those initiatives that respect the assumed development direction: a Bucharest of people, values and communities. The public interest will always be the basis of our decisions. We will not accept that the General Council is used as a political negotiation tool, but only collaboration formulas that serve the public interest”. sent Ana-Maria Boghean, REPER adviser within the CGMB.
If USR decides to enter the opposition, Ciucu could gather a majority consisting of 29 councilors, if PSD, REPER and Forța Dreptei join PNL. The party founded by Ludovic Orban supported Ciucu in the elections and is currently holding discussions for a merger by absorption into the PNL. The future general mayor could also strengthen his majority by co-opting the two PMP advisers.
“As we have positioned ourselves since the beginning of Nicușor Dan’s mandate, at the General City Hall, the PMP councilors were part of the majority created in the General Council, voting all projects strictly in the interest of the citizen. Of course, we will have a discussion with the new mayor general, Ciprian Ciucu, and after a decision made in the party, we will form a majority with the right-wing and center-right parties, which is also my wish”. stated for “Adevărul” Ștefan Florescu, PMP general adviser.
Radu Delicote: “He has to play with all the cards on the table”
According to political analyst Radu Delicote, Ciprian Ciucu is obliged to form a solid majority in the General Council in order to pass his projects.
“He needs, regardless of whether it is realistic or not, he has to play with all the cards on the table. And “all the cards on the table” means to post including statements regarding the formation of a majority in his favor. Why? Because a mayor without a General Council to be on his side is a mayor without hands. He can do absolutely nothing. Maybe just a media show and that’s it.”the analyst explained to “Adevărul”.
Regarding the relationship with USR, Delicote draws attention to the nuances behind political statements.
“USR has anyway declared that it is on the side of the mayor in his projects. “On the side of the mayor in his projects” can mean supporting the projects without being part of the majority or it can mean being part of the majority. What would help, at the moment, would be for USR and PNL, and Ciucu to be able to quickly tick off some success stories or quickly close some success stories”explains the specialist.
The pressure of representativeness
The political analyst warns that the electoral score and the low voter turnout require an urgent image consolidation strategy.
“A mayor who wins with such a low turnout and with few votes needs to preserve and cultivate, in fact, a moral, political and electoral ascendancy. So, at the moment, if Ciprian Ciucu – until the end, let’s say, the next six months – does not achieve something positive, grandiose, he will have a big problem in the months to come.” Delicote said.
Radu Delicote is of the opinion that the situation in the General Council does not allow for sophisticated calculations, but requires pragmatic choices, which include collaboration with the PSD.
“He has to work with PSD. He will have to, he will have to work with PSD and probably with PMP, which is still part of the General Council. So the calculations are not complex. It’s one way or the other, at the moment. Obviously, PNL working with him, if he wants, of course. Both PNL and PDL have their interests, but probably, when it’s necessary, whether he wants to be warm or not, I think we’ll see him with Ciprian Ciucu as well. (…) He must to be a political manager, not just a mayor. And to be able to keep this majority on its feet, because the majority is made in vain today, on a wave of sympathy, if it will not be preserved in six months, let’s say.” detailed the analyst.
