PSD's Dancila: A common candidate of PSD-ALDE coalition to be introduced in opinion polls for presidential elections

Interim Chairperson of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Viorica Dancila stated that a common candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) - Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) coalition will be assessed in the opinion polls of the Social Democrats for the presidential elections. 

"The candidate for the presidential elections should be the one who has the highest chances. (...) I talked to my colleagues in the National Executive Committee, we will introduce in our polls all the colleagues who expressed their wish to run for president, but also a common candidate of the PSD-ALDE coalition, in order to see what is the electors' opinion and we will make a decision together with the statutory forums," Dancila said on Sunday at Antena 3 private broadcaster. 

She was asked whether Calin Popescu-Tariceanu would be included in these opinion polls. 

"Certainly! We want to carry out a larger opinion poll. It's important to carry out this poll in order to see where to start off and where we want to get. It's clear that we want to win the presidential elections, but we also want to see what percentage we start from, see how we can maximise out chance to win the presidential elections," PSD Interim Chairperson Dancila stated. 

Dancila argued that she didn't considered her candidacy in the presidential elections. 

"I haven't considered this thing. I am carrying out a poll on those who expressed the desire to run. I will be included in certain polls, alongside other leaders of the political parties in order to see where we stand in terms of party chairpersons," the PM stated. 

The PSD interim chairperson showed that a congress for designating the candidate in the presidential elections will be organised. Dancila mentioned that the modification of the party statute, as well as the party chairperson, the executive chairperson and the secretary general will be decided within the meeting of the extraordinary Congress, to be held at the end of June. 

"Until Wednesday, any male or female colleague can submit their candidacy. I would like not to be the only candidate. All the male or female colleagues who want to run for a certain position in the leadership of the party can submit their candidacy, I would be glad to be as many candidates as possible. (...) The modification of the statute, because the party chairperson was elected by all the party members and now we want to return to the election of the chairperson by the Congress," Dancila explained. 

The PM argued that she has no preference regarding the people who are to take over the executive chairperson and secretary general offices within the PSD. 

"I haven't expressed any preference for a certain person. (...) There is a lot of speculation. I appreciate all my colleagues, I haven't talked to anybody. (...) Anyone who wants to run, if he/she meets the statutory conditions and is supported by the branch he/she is part of, can run. I haven't said that I prefer a certain person for the executive chairperson office or the secretary general office," Viorica Dancila also said.