The Social Democratic Party (PSD) announcement that it would table a no-confidence motion against the Tăriceanu Cabinet came as a surprise to the other political parties. Most observers agreed that the Social Democrats’ unexpected decision was unnatural and highly risky for the party headed by Mircea Geoană. In a move to find out the motivation for such a decision, the mass media came up with... 

When Boris Yeltsin appointed him as Premier in August 1999, and later when he became President of the Russian Federation in April 2000, no one imagined that within two terms in office Vladimir Putin will break one popularity record after another. Hardly heard of before—Who is Mr. Putin? is a headline in Western media, which may well be regarded as a barometer of his popularity in 1999—Vladimir... 

The offer Traian Băsescu made to the Liberals, to depose Tăriceanu and stay in Power, only confirms the failure of PLD and proves Traian Băsescu is running out of ideas. The President knows that he must do something quite soon, because his voters are getting bored and may find another outlet for their frustration. P(L)D is not helping; on the contrary, it raises serious image problems for Băsescu.... 

Ever since the beginning of his presidential term in office, the key strategy followed by Traian Băsescu was aimed at dividing the political arena, both in terms of relationships between parties, and of interactions between their various factions. The tactic consisted in the polarisation by affinities with the presidential initiatives. By bringing together dissident groups and factions, with... 

Between the summer of 2003 and end-2004, Mr. Eugen Anca represented a German, Stuttgart-based company, Capital Consulting Ltd, which is the European arm of the Institute for Foreign Economic Relations (VNIIVS), a governmental agency of the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Economic Development and Commerce. In April 2005, company Profact SRL (with Eugen Anca as sole shareholder) was invited by... 

Interview with Ms. Ramona Mănescu, Vicepresident of the National Authority for Youth and PNL candidate for the European Parliament Your resume shows your participation in numerous political and professional projects while in your private life you are a happily married lady with two children. Can a modern and ambitious woman have a successful political career without sacrificing the family life? I... 

PD is a party in fashion, a party with a future, which is why it is hardly interesting to analysts, who tend to focus on current or prospective failures. PD’s being always taken by the President in tow is not particularly interesting either. To oversimplify, the Democrats’ politics is Traian Băsescu’s politics. For the time being, this is PD’s trump, but also a source of major risks. With... 

Two years into Traian Băsescu’s term in office as President of Romania, we draw the line and try to assess his political performance. Many criticise President Traian Băsescu as being a politician without a political project. Although he did launch many themes in the political arena, most of them either faded without securing him any image gains, or threaten to backfire at their initiator. Whether... 

The note scandal brought about two novelties for Romania’s political life of the past two years: President Traian Băsescu was cornered, and PSD came into the spotlight as the main Opposition force. The image impact on the President was notable, particularly as his choices, indeed his mistakes, were surprising. Traian Băsescu relied on the consistency of the efects his own behaviour had on the... 

One thing is certain however: parliamentary parties will no longer have the presidential institution wield an autocratic influence on the other institutions, namely the Parliament and Government. Mr. Constantin Niţă, you are one of the senior leaders of the main Opposition party, and apart from the Deputy seat in the Parliament of Romania you also hold the presidency of the PSD Braşov branch....