Eugen Tomac Accuses PSD and PNL of Election Fraud in Romania

Eugen Tomac, a prominent Romanian politician, has accused the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL) of orchestrating a premeditated fraud in the upcoming European Parliament elections. Tomac claims that the two parties are combining local and European Parliament elections without transparency, violating recommendations from the Venice Commission, and attempting to remove Alianţa Dreapta Unită (United Right Alliance) from the ballot.

The integrity of democratic elections is vital for maintaining trust in governments and ensuring that citizens' voices are heard. If Tomac's accusations are true, it could lead to a loss of faith in the electoral process and undermine the legitimacy of the Romanian government.

The European Parliament election is scheduled for June 2024, and Tomac's accusations have raised significant concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. He asserts that the merging of local and European elections has been done without proper transparency and in direct violation of international guidelines. The Venice Commission, an advisory body of the Council of Europe, has specific recommendations for maintaining the integrity and transparency of elections, which Tomac argues are being ignored.

Tomac's claims are particularly alarming given the context of Romanian politics. The European elections are taking a back seat as local elections will be held on the same day, effectively sidelining critical European issues. This has led to a lack of televised debates involving representatives of all major parties, and some politicians are standing for both local and European elections, further blurring the lines between the two.

In addition to the procedural issues, Tomac alleges that PSD and PNL are attempting to remove Alianţa Dreapta Unită from the ballot. This alliance, which includes parties like USR, PMP, and Forța Dreptei, is struggling to present a unified message because of their different European political affiliations. Despite these challenges, the alliance is projected to secure around 13% of the vote in the EU elections, according to recent polls.

The far-right AUR party, expected to rank second in the elections, has also been a point of contention. Adrian Axinia, Vice-President of AUR, has highlighted ongoing disagreements with Viktor Orban's Fidesz, complicating their potential alliances in the European Parliament. AUR is projected to win around 22% of the vote, focusing more on local issues rather than European ones.

According to polls, the PSD-PNL alliance is expected to win around 45% of the vote in the EU elections. This would increase PSD's number of MEPs from eight to 11, while the Liberals would lose four seats, dropping from 14 to 10. The far-right AUR party could potentially have seven MEPs, plus current MEP Cristian Terheș, who is the top candidate on AUR's list.

Tomac's accusations highlight the ongoing tensions and complexities within Romanian politics prior to the European Parliament elections approaching. The merging of local and European elections, coupled with the alleged lack of transparency and attempts to manipulate the ballot, raises significant concerns about the democratic process in Romania.

Key Takeaways

• Romanian politician Eugen Tomac accuses PSD and PNL of fraud in EU elections.
• Merging local and EU elections without transparency violates Venice Commission guidelines.
• Alianţa Dreapta Unită may be removed from the ballot, alleges Tomac.
• PSD-PNL alliance expected to win 45% of the vote, AUR party 22%.
• Accusations raise concerns about democratic process and election integrity in Romania.