Iohannis: only way to lose elections is to believe having won before actually winning

President Klaus Iohannis said on Friday, at the EPP headquarters in Brussels, during a meeting with the National Liberal Parties (PNL) representatives and supporters from the diaspora, that he "does not intend to back off with the campaign", because the only way to lose some elections is to believe that you have won them before the actual ballot.

"We have started and we have won three battles so far: the European Parliament elections, the referendum and, recently, with great joy, against all expectations, the censure motion. The presidential, local and parliamentary elections follow. Thank you for that. And please let's not make a mistake! You've all seen countless polls and they seem like something easy. The only way you can lose some elections is to believe you have won them before actually winning them. That was one of the mistakes we made, unfortunately, in December 2016. We didn't think we would win them, but no one imagined we would get this low. Now we just have to pull together and turn this score in our favor. So I'm not going to back off with the campaign. On the contrary, I will campaign as much as I can," said the president.

He added that the stakes of the elections are very high, targeting the very "reconstruction of the state".

"The stakes are very high. The stakes are not just winning the presidential elections - although this is a condition without which it is difficult to continue - not just the presidential ones - and I said it from the beginning and I said it to the Liberals: 'This time I will not leave you on your own'. We have to move forward together, because this is the only chance we have against the PSD colossus, because there is still a PSD colossus. We are not deluding ourselves. Only this way can we do what Romanians expect from us. To restore Romania as we wish it to be. To reach what we have called the reconstruction of the state. We have to win the presidential, local and parliamentary elections. And do not imagine that this will be easy. It will be very difficult," said Iohannis.

At the same time, he urged those present "not to underestimate" the electoral competitors, noting that there are others "who have the impression that they deserve a significant slice", especially from the vote of the diaspora.

"I have talked about PSD. There are also others who feel that they deserve a significant slice, especially from the diaspora vote. So if you want to be part of my effort, together with PNL, to rebuild, for Romanians: Romania, the public systems in Romania, the confidence of Romanians in politics, then I ask you to fight in such a way as to give people hope," he added.