PM Ponta: The plan is for Basescu to lead the party created after PNL-PDL merger

The Prime Minister and national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Victor Ponta on Wednesday evening stated that the new political entity to result form a merger of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) will have Traian Basescu as its new leader, after this autumn's presidential election.

'The new entity to be created after the merger will be just another party to be ruled by Traian Basescu [...] This is the plan, to create a political party to have Traian Basescu as its leader, regardless of the result of the presidential election,' Ponta told Romania TV private broadcaster, also adding that the Liberals don't want this, but 'this is the plan that they will be urged to follow."

The head of the Executive also said that both PDL and the People's Movement Party (PMP) have close connections with Traian Basescu.

'The PDL-PMP problem is not Traian Basescu. Vasile Blaga and Elena Udrea both listen to what Traian Basescu has to say. The problem is that Vasile Blaga doesn't want to accept Elena Udrea and the other way round [...] Otherwise, of course, PDL and PMP remain the parties that are intrinsically and inextricably linked to Traian Basescu,' said Ponta. AGERPRES