TODAY'S TOP STORIES Battle Against Inertia

Finally, in the twelfth hour, towards the end of its term, The Parliament of Romania has started working on the set of laws concerning the forthcoming elections. All the fuss, the pretentious talks and the much-trumpeted need to reform Romanian politics - which both The Social Democrat Party (P.S.D.) and the opposition poured into our ears throughout the previous election campaign - were forgotten as soon as the dignitaries took over their parliamentary and governmental offices, their office cars and bodyguards assigned by The Guard & Protection Service (S.P.P.). Forgotten they have remained to this day because what political leaders are concerned with is definitely not changing things for the better, but finding a way to take the most advantage of inertia. Evidently, the only ones who can profit from inertia are those who pull political strings and use their political status to ruthlessly collect "gray money for colorful campaigns," to "discipline" those who dare have ideas, opinions and other "behavioral dysfunctions" that may inconvenience politicians.

Parliament leaders also have an explanation - as noble an explanation as it gets - for the timing they have chosen for working on the electoral laws: Parliament has been busy working on laws related to E.U. accession, reform etc. etc. and especially on "the law of all laws" - The Constitution. Therefore, it should be easily understood that they were too busy to spare any time for the electoral laws. On top of everything, intelligent and well-organized people as they are, they could not have put the cart before the oxen - like in an old Romanian saying - and start with the electoral laws before completing the masterwork - The Constitution. Had we been born yesterday, or had we been living in Gibbon (i.e. Gabon) and not in Romania - as our prime minister put it - we might even believe that. However, Romanian realities have a way of conflicting with reason and are rather subordinated to and interpreted according to the personal interests of party leaders rather than to morals. Had our dignitaries taken the matter of reforming the electoral system seriously - as a way of rejuvenating Romanian politics - nothing could have prevented serious debates on this matter by Parliament, specialists and the public; debates that would have produced conclusions even before the first word of the new Constitution had been written. Once it had been properly defined, the new concept of organizing politics could have been integrated into the new Constitution and thus it could have tremendously eased the process of drafting the new fundamental law. Fact is, however, that both The Constitution and the belated electoral laws are specifically designed not to trigger any change.

The big scare that something might change after all befell, of course, the political parties that stand to gain the most from inertia: The Greater Romania Party (P.R.M.), The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (U.D.M.R.) and The Social Democrat Party (P.S.D.). And, since the voters may not have liked that attitude, the three parties played a prank on the Liberals and The Democrat Party. Out of the blue came a number of apocalyptic "studies" clearly warning that, should the nominal election system be adopted, P.S.D. would dominate Parliament. "Democracy is in danger!" voices whispered in corners... So big was the scare of the "7% club" of parties that, faced with the prospect of losing the few parliamentary seats they thought they would have after the elections, they suddenly turned into the advocates of "wisdom" and "balance" and forgot all about the nominal election system. P.S.D. grinned victoriously and went on about its business. The electoral laws will remain as they are. Well, actually, no... A few insignificant changes will be made. Mayors will be elected through a maximum of two ballots, irrespective of the number of valid votes. Another change is that, in order to be represented on county councils, political parties will have to pass the electoral threshold. How dominant P.S.D. may become in Parliament as a result of this system, especially considering that, by the time the elections take place, P.S.D. will control all the administration - well, nobody seems too curious about that.

Will we have a nominal election system? Probably not! Even the idea of a mixed system, like the German one, for instance, scares our brave parliamentarians to death. The explanation is easy: voters are stupid and they may get confused - they say. In other words, some voters may get confused enough to vote for other party than P.S.D.! And, of course, that would be a futile and counterproductive risk!

In the battle against inertia, Romania will once again be vanquished by its politicians!