Just one day before a vote of no confidence that ended in his government’s dismissal, Ludovic Orban’s liberal cabinet adopted no less than 25 emergency ordinances in almost all fields: electoral, health, education, economics, internal affairs, justice, transport in a marathon nine-hour meeting.
The most awaited ordinance, concerning parliamentary elections, was presented at the end by Ionel Dancă, the leader of the Prime Minister’s Office.
This emergency ordinance deals with a number of factors surrounding the organization of early parliamentary elections, such as allowing for the possibility of voting at any polling place, regardless of the voter’s residence, and the doubling of the number of Members of Parliament for the diaspora.
“We are speaking about the extension of provisions that were favorable and proved to be for the benefit of the citizens who wished to vote in the presidential elections: three voting days in the diaspora and the possibility of voting at any polling station to encourage Romanian citizens to participate in the elections.
Also, the number of representatives for the diaspora was doubled from two to four Senators and from four to eight Members of Parliament. The necessity of this adoption is linked to the fact that in the eventuality of a situation where early parliamentary elections are organized, there is a legislative void that needed to be regulated.” Ionel Dancă explained.
“All accusations of electoral tourism are nonsense; the suspicions have no real foundation,” Dancă added.
On the other hand, the same emergency ordinance shortens the term for the organization of early elections. In the Constitution, a term of three months is provided for the dissolution of the Parliament, while the election legislation provides a minimum of 90 days.
“The term agreed upon with this emergency ordinance is that the election date may be set 50 days after the dissolving of Parliament, and this announcement can be made within five days after the dissolution of Parliament.” – Dancă announced.
Hunor Kelemen, leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, RMDSZ, took issue with the development. “The emergency ordinances were adopted without any transparency, which is not only without precedent but is also an abuse of power, of the Parliament, of the legislation. This was done by the same National Liberal Party, which during the Social Democratic Party government, correctly spoke up against emergency ordinances. I truly hope that the Ombudsman will raise an objection in the Constitutional Court and that the Constitutional Court will declare the majority of the emergency ordinances unconstitutional,” he said.
Photo credits: Digi24.ro, PM Ludovic Orban
