Elena Lasconi checked a political premiere: she is the first presidential candidate for her own party. But his presence on the ballot still has a huge stake. Even without political support, Elena Lasconi can decide the final for Cotroceni, given that the fight between the first four rankings are foreshadowed to be very close. Although USR passed on Nicușor Dan’s side, the future of the party is closely related to the result that Elena Lasconi will get in the first round.
The candidacy of Elena Lasconi will influence and fate USR Photo Adevărul archive
Elena Lasconi went from ecstasy to agony in only four months. In December, he was qualified in the presidential final, after a spectacular result in the first round of the poll, where he outlines heavy names such as Marcel Ciolacu, Mircea Geoană, Nicolae Ciuca or George Simion. Now, Elena Lasconi is abandoned by her own party, who has decided to withdraw her political support and to support Nicușor Dan in the race for Cotroceni. Even in this situation, without party and without campaign money, Elena Lasconi announced that she will go to the end for the presidency. What is a hand in fighting?
“He believes that Nicușor Dan is the one who usurped the candidacy, who blocked the corridor to Cotroceni and can not convince her to change her mind. She considers himself a victim of the system, and about Nicușor Dan says he has hidden understandings,” explains one of the USR leaders, present at all the discussions of the last period.
Elena Lasconi bets on the book of victimization, which could bring extra votes on May 4, at the first round. But the surveys ordered by the USR show a difference of 15 percent in favor of Nicușor Dan compared to Elena Lasconi, a difference almost impossible to overcome.
However, the presence of Elena Lasconi on the ballot can decisively influence the fight for the supreme function in the state. Every vote that Elena Lasconi breaks from Nicușor Dan benefits either Crin Antonescu or Victor Ponta. In some polls Nicușor Dan is shoulder to shoulder with Crin Antonescu, in others – with Victor Ponta. “After revealing the floods in Romania to save Belgrade, I think Victor Ponta loses a few consistent percentages. So Elena Lasconi helps Crin Antonescu indirectly,” sources from the ruling coalition say.
Each percentage means, in real terms, around 100,000 votes. Given that Elena Lascononi is in the departure of Ciolacu at a difference of only 2,700 votes, each percentage lost by Nicușor Dan from the reformist basin removes him considerably from Cotroceni. Basically, the general mayor depends directly on the performance of Elena Lasconi. “The problem is that the USR electorate that migrated to Nicușor has already done it in the four months. It can hardly break something from Elena Lasconi.
By default, the candidacy of Elena Lasconi will influence and the USR fate. If Nicușor Dan becomes president, USR will enter the government and can recover politically until future elections. In contrast, if the votes broken by Elena Lasconi leave Nicușor Dan outside the Cotroceni Palace, the USR will become crushed in the Parliament between the PSD-PNL-UDMR coalition and the sovereign block. Therefore, USR has left Lasconi without political support, but Lasconi can throw USR in irrelevance.
Personally, Lasconi has nothing to lose in the presidential elections. Even if he will only get a few percent, he will return to Campulung in the mayor’s chair. Locally, he still enjoys credibility, in addition he will return to the town hall as a victim of the power games in the Capital.
