Ponta eyes Tariceanu for PM position

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, in the runoff of the presidential race representing PSD, says he might propose on Tuesday to Calin Popescu-Tariceanu to be the next PM and invite his Reforming Liberal Party to join the governmental coalition, writes Agerpres.

Calin Popescu Tariceanu came in third after the first round vote on Sunday with 5.40 percent of votes.

“We will send an official invitation from the ruling coalition to the party led by Mr. Tariceanu, which also includes all the founding members of USL [the former Social Liberal Union alliance of PSD and National Liberal Party — PNL] — obviously with some notable exceptions — to join again the new government, the Parliament majority, and to carry on USL’s programme until December 2016. (…) In the future government, I propose the Reforming Liberal Party to contribute ministers and a state secretary,’ Ponta said on Monday at the Romania TV stations.

Asked whether he would invite Popescu-Tariceanu to be his prime minister if he wins the presidency, Ponta answered, ‘It’s possible’.

On the other hand, candidate Klaus Iohannis, whom Ponta will face on November 16, has went on record as saying that he is not interested in any deals with politicians and instead wants the vote of all Romanians.

“I will not negotiate with any politician, but to make it very clear I wish I have the vote of Romanians, I want the vote of all Romanians who believe I could make a difference in the Romanian politics. I invite, I ask them to be alongside me, yet I want their point-blank vote, I want to have an up-front relationship with the voter, not mediated by politicians. As a consequence, I won’t negotiate with the out-racers. (…) Should they look for me, they’ll probably do that to offer me support. Any citizen is welcome to offer me support, but we never negotiate,” said Iohannis, in a news conference.