Romania's President Says To Continue Political Career After Term Ends

Romania's President Traian Basescu said Thursday that his term in office will end on Dec. 21 and afterwards he will join the People's Movement Party (PMP).
"No matter what happens in the presidential race, my term ends on December 21 at midnight," Basescu declared before heading to the European Council meeting in Brussels.
He stressed that on Dec. 22 someone else has to be at the presidential Cotroceni Palace, a newly elected president, or the speaker of the Senate, or the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
Basescu then announced his intention of joining the PMP after Dec. 21.
"On December 22, the next day after he no longer is the President of Romania, he will request membership of the PMP," PMP chairperson and also a candidate in the presidential elections scheduled for November, Elena Udrea, told a press conference Wednesday.
Basescu said that he definitely supported PMP official candidate in the presidential elections, Elena Udrea. "I am an unreserved supporter of PMP," he told a local TV talk show earlier.
Romania is to hold the quinquennial presidential election in November. A first round of the election will be held on Nov. 2. If no candidate will get 50 percent plus one of the votes, a second round will be held two weeks later, on Nov. 16, with the top two candidates running against each other.
As many as 14 candidates will compete for the top office of the state and main opinion polls showed that the incumbent Prime Minister Victor Ponta is the favorite, while liberal Klaus Iohannis is his main rival.
According to the Constitution, the term of office of the president is five years. Incumbent President Traian Basescu was sworn in for his second term on Dec. 21, 2009 and is ineligible for a third term. (Cihan/Xinhua)