Justice shakes politics again: Liberal leader withdraws from Bucharest mayor race amid corruption investigation

A corruption investigation has completely changed the strategies of the main political parties in Romania less than two months before the local elections. Romanian politician Ludovic Orban, the National Liberal Party – PNL’s candidate for the Bucharest mayor position, withdrew from the race after the anticorruption prosecutors started an investigation on him. His announcement left PNL searching for a candidate and may also alter the plans of the Social Democrat Party – PSD, which may change its option. Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate – DNA called Ludovic Orban for questioning on Monday afternoon, April 11. A few hours later, when he left DNA’s headquarters in Bucharest, Orban told the press that the prosecutors indicted him and that he would no longer run for Bucharest mayor. He also said that he would step down as first vice president of the liberal party and vice president of the Deputies Chamber. The prosecutors charged Ludovic Orban with influence peddling. The accused him that he used his influence as a political party leader to get undue benefits. Orban allegedly asked a local businessman to give him EUR 50,000 cash, which he needed to pay for TV promotion during his electoral campaign. The businessman accepted to pay the money thinking that Orban could use his political influence to help him with his business, according to a DNA press release. The prosecutors placed Ludovic Orban under judicial control, which means that he is under police supervision, isn’t allowed to leave the country without the prosecutors’ consent, and isn’t allowed to contact the other people involved in his case. “I haven’t taken any undue benefits,” Orban told the journalists when he left the DNA headquarters. However, he added that he couldn’t ask for the people’s vote while under investigation. “I am emotionally affected, but I don’t question in any way DNA’s activity in this case. I’ve always supported DNA’s activity and I think that it’s beneficial for the Romanian society,” Orban said, according to Mediafax. The National Liberal Party’s co-presidents Vasile Blaga and Alina Gorghiu said they would announce a new candidate in the following days. They both mentioned that the party had other options to present to the voters and that it wouldn’t select a candidate from outside PNL. Former justice minister Catalin Predoiu and former presidential advisor Adriana Saftoiu may be PNL’s best choices to replace Orban, according to party sources quoted by Mediafax. However, Ludovic Orban’s withdrawal may also change the strategy of the social democrats. PSD may replace its candidate, Gabriela Firea. PSD’s leader Liviu Dragnea has started negotiations with former Prime Minister Calin-Popescu Tariceanu, who is currently the president of the Senate, for a possible candidacy for Bucharest’s mayor seat, according to Hotnews.ro. Tariceanu is the leader of the Liberal Democrat Alliance – ALDE, one of PSD’s allies while they were in power. He had a good relationship with former Prime Minister and PSD leader Victor Ponta. Although he’s not a PSD member, the social-democrats may back Tariceanu hoping that he would also be able to take votes from the liberal electorate in Bucharest, in addition to the votes from the social democrat supporters. The social democrats have never been very popular in Bucharest, where the electorate is mainly liberal. However, former social-democrat Sorin Oprescu won the elections in 2012 running as an independent, but with strong PSD support. Gabriela Firea was apparently better-ranked in the polls compared to Ludovic Orban. However, PSD’s biggest worry right now is that PNL may support independent candidate Nicusor Dan, the president of the Save Bucharest Union (USB), who may thus get a chance to beat Firea. In case Tariceanu accepts to run for mayor, PSD would back Firea for mayor of Bucharest’s District 2. The Bucharest mayor position is by far the most important one in the local administration, and this is why the major parties try to come up with their strongest candidates to win it. A former Bucharest mayor, Traian Basescu, was then elected Romania’s President (in 2004).