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14. 06. 12. - 16:00

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14. 06. 12. - 16:00

Wave of resignations ahead of Dem Libs leadership meeting

Michael Leidig

The leadership of the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL)gathered today for the first time since Sunday’s mayoral and municipal elections, where they suffered a heavy defeat, obtaining less than 15 percent of mandates nationwide.

Several heavyweights of the party announced their resignation from the party’s leadership ahead of the meeting. The wave of resignations started on Tuesday, when the most influential person of the party, Bucharest branch leader Elena Udrea, a close ally of president Traian Basescu stepped down.

Earlier today (Thurs), th e se creatry general of the party Ioan Oltean (picture) resigned. Also the vice-president Gheorghe Stefan, the Mayor of Piatra Neamt (North East) announced his resignation, saying that he is not satisfied with PDL’s score.

The party’s National College gathered at the Parliament Palace behind closed doors today, after several Democrat Liberal leaders asked for the resignation of the party leader Emil Boc and of the entire leadership following Sunday’s crushing defeat.

The College will take into consideration the organisation of an extraordinary Congress in order to elect a new leadership.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, party leader Emil Boc said he hopes PDL to take several ‘rational’ decision in order to prepare for November legislative elections, in order to get a better score.

Boc, who stepped down as PM in late December last year following mass protests again the anti-democrtaic policies of his cabinet and dramatic austerity and corruption, won, at a neck the mandate of mayor in Clucj, his hometown. After winning the elections, Boc said he won’t resign as he proved he is able to win a ballot.

Following Sunday’s elections, the leaders of the party didn’t refrain in blaming each other for the heavy blow suffered. Vice president Cezar Preda accused Udrea of ruining the country and the party as well and asked for her ousting.

A former tourism and development minister, Udrea shocked the public numerous times with her outlandish and sexy outfits, the opulence of her accessories and by reinstating the cult of personality. She is best known for offering high heals shoes to the victims of the floods in 2010, when she was filmed offering chocolate to poor children from her limousine while the car was driving.

When she was elected president of Bucharest branch, at the suggestion of Traian Basescu, as rumoured by the local press, the party leader depicted her as ‘The sun and of the party", ‘the idol of a generation’ and the ‘ray light’ radiating over the party. Last year she appeared on the cover of a magazine dressed in latex dress, shocking the political class and the public once more. Udrea was suspected of several acts of corruption but she was never charged.

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