USR divorces Lasconi: party will support Nicuşor Dan in presidential elections

Elena Lasconi has completely lost the support of the party she still leads, including regarding her candidacy for president. The Save Romania Union (USR) announced that it will support an independent candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, the decision being made within the National Bureau. The candidate supported is Nicuşor Dan, the current mayor of the capital and founder of USR, considered by the party leadership as the only pro-European option with a real chance of reaching the second round. The USR Political Bureau has decided to stop financing the electoral campaign for Elena Lasconi and to convene the Political Committee, which will announce that the party supports Nicuşor Dan in the May elections. The Political Committee meeting will take place today.

• Lasconi: "I am absolutely not withdrawing"

"I am absolutely not withdrawing," said Elena Lasconi, after the meeting in which the USR leaders withdrew their support. Lasconi added to a TV station: "When I said that I was the most independent candidate, maybe no one believed me. I am not made for small fights, I am convinced that I will be the best president of Romania because I will fight for the injustices of the people. I am made for hard fights, I have no intention of withdrawing and I will fight with all my strength." Lasconi accused the USR leaders of being "barons" and said that: "USR does not mean the colleagues you saw on TV, it means 20,000 members, people of good faith, on whom I rely. I know that this party is increasingly similar to other parties, it is full of gangs and barons. The National Bureau cannot decide to support a candidate, only the congress or the Political Committee. I will not convene, I did not convene this National Bureau either, I understand that it was at the decision of Clotilde Armand. It is an extremely bad, wrong move by the USR, probably many do it out of fear, so that people do not point the finger at him that, God forbid, Nicuşor Dan does not enter the second round because of me. I did not bother Nicuşor Dan and if you enter a competition with the thought that you will win if someone withdraws, let's tell the others to withdraw too. (...) No I understand why the independent now needs the support of a party (...) I would also say that USR is currently playing the system. After the annulment of the elections, he (Nicusor Dan) also met with Zuckermann and other important people in the system, who believe that they control absolutely everything and maybe they control it until now and will no longer control it after they become the president of Romania and yes, I can believe this too. The myth of the independent is false. It is a false trail. Behind every so-called independent there is an interest group".

• Fritz: "I called Nicusor Dan, there were no negotiations"

USR Vice President Dominic Fritz announced that he had already informed Nicusor Dan about the party leadership's decision. "I called him last night after I received the latest figures. It was not a long call, there were no negotiations. I told him that we will resume the discussion after the National Bureau meeting," Fritz said. He added that he expressed confidence in a future partnership between USR and Nicuşor Dan "when he is president."

• Campaign without party funding

Dominic Fritz specified that USR will not be able to finance Nicuşor Dan's electoral campaign, but will appeal to the party's traditional donors to obtain financial support. At the same time, he mentioned that a Political Committee will be held to officially validate the decision.

USR President Elena Lasconi expressed her desire to continue the presidential race, but the party leadership decided that it could no longer support her. "This is a difficult moment for us as a party and for Lasconi. This day will remain a wound, but a victory for the pro-European forces on May 4 and 18 can heal it," Fritz said. According to him, internal polls showed that the second round would be between the AUR candidate, George Simion, and the independent candidate Victor Ponta, with Nicuşor Dan in third place. For this reason, the USR leadership considered that supporting Dan was a measure of national responsibility, even if it came with an internal political cost.

• Call to PNL and UDMR

Dominic Fritz made a public call to PNL and UDMR to drop their support for Crin Antonescu and join the support for Nicuşor Dan: "He is the only pro-European candidate with real chances in the second round. Don't fall into the PSD trap. Don't repeat last year's mistake of ignoring your own polls." Asked if the USR would ask Elena Lasconi to resign as party president, Fritz replied that if the Political Committee, even informally, confirms the National Bureau's decision, the "natural gesture" would be for Elena Lasconi to step down as party leader. However, he stressed that "the USR's doors will remain open for a dialogue with it."

• Reconfiguration of the party after the elections

Fritz also announced that the party will The party is set to undergo an internal resettlement process after the presidential elections. Although the formal Political Committee is convened for April 24, an informal meeting will be held today precisely to avoid speculation regarding dissensions within the party.