What the newspapers say: November 27, 2007

Newspapers on Tuesday read about the effects of the exit polls announced on Sunday night upon the political scene. A newspaper reads that President Basescu asked Democrats to reshuffle their leadership. The mayor of Verona mayor plans to free the city of Romanians.

Gandul reads that even if a low turnout was registered in the European Parliamentary elections that took place in Romania on Sunday, political parties faced a great impact. After the release of exit polls on Sunday night, several political parties like the far-right Greater Romania Party (PRM) and the populist New Initiative Party (PIN) failed to receive the necessary threshold to enter the EP.

PRM leader Vadim Tudor announced that he would resign from the Parliament and urged all his fellow PRM MPs to act the same. However, not all party members followed his footsteps immediately.

Vadim threatened to dismiss all party members in the Parliament if they do not resign.

Moreover, PIN party leader Cosmin Gusa resigned from the party as soon as the exit polls were released.

The Social Democrats plan to change the current leadership of the party, as internal sources argue there will be an extraordinary congress.

Liberals are also under the spotlight, as they plan to reshuffle the governmental structure and dismiss some current ministers.

In the same vein, Cotidianul reads that the Democrats, best placed in the EP poll and main supporters of President Basescu, are far from untouched by the political boomerang. The newspaper quotes internal sources arguing that President Basescu asked the Democratic Party leadership to resign.

Sources argue that Basescu accused them of not being able to mobilize the population to vote for the European Parliament elections and his referendum.

Democratic Party leader Emil Boc denies having been summoned by the President but he started taking serious measures against party political leaders that failed to get the necessary votes.

Bucharest mayor, Adrian Videanu said that the party planned to dismiss some 8-10 branch leaders in the country.

Evenimentul zilei reads that Adriana Saftoiu, the President’s former counselor, argues that Basescu’s strategy for the referendum was wrongly approached.

She argues that the President’s campaign was not clearly outlined and his enemies not clearly defined.

Therefore, Saftoiu argues that because the referendum and the European Parliamentary elections were coupled, the electorate was confused.

Adevarul reads that the mayor of the Italian city of Verona, Flavio Tosi plans to ‘clean’ the city of Romanians. Moreover, he plans to strengthen the residency analysis through which all immigrants will have to pass in order to get clearance.