The competition between Petre Roman, Traian Basescu and Simona Marinescu for PD's presidency is coming to an end, as the Democrats this weekend will elect their president. The results of these elections will largely influence the party's further political evolution and its ties with the other parties.
For the first time since he was elected PD President, Petre Roman has to face two competitors for the party presidency, and one of them (Traian Basescu, i.e.) seriously threatens the position of the incumbent leader.
The candidacy of Senator Simona Marinescu is unlikely to change PD's situation, as she is supported by only few PD subsidiaries.
Unlike the other parties, the Democrats elect their president by a motion he presents and which becomes PD's political programme for the next mandate.
Under such circumstances, the party's political evolution and its relationship with the other parties will largely depend on the leader assigned to run PD for the next four years.
Petre Roman's motion, called "The Strategy of PD's political orientation between 2001 and 2004," has tree chapters: PD's strategy as an opposition party, PD's voters and the party's organisational reconstruction.
As an opposition party, PD will fight for the social-democrat laws to be promoted, allowing ambitious people to improve their living standards, according to the party's current president.
As for PD voters, Petre Roman considers they are middle-class people. If PD manages to properly represent their interests, as well as those of women and young people, the party may gain 22-24% in the electoral results of 2004, and this is another goal of Petre Roman.
The intention displayed by the Democrat leader is that the party should maintain its social-democrat orientation and should not shift to the left, pointing to a reserved relationship with PDSR.
Which is Basescu's political strategy? The most important pledge Basescu has made to his Democrat electors is that he would make PD win the parliamentary elections to be held in 2004. PD would assert its leftist orientation, assuming its role of a genuine opposition party.
According to Basescu's motion, "PD is available to start negotiations with non-parliamentary parties with a social-democrat orientation, aiming at merger this year," specifying that any future political alliance can be engaged only with parties that are compatible with PD as for the political point of view.
On the other hand, Basescu, who is also Bucharest Mayor, does not plan for PD to strike alliances with other political parties with a view to enter the 2004 elections.
