According to a poll conducted by the Sociological Research and Branding Company (CCSB) between February 11 and 14, commissioned by Intact Media Grup, the central bank governor Mugur Isarescu claims the first position in the trust ranking, with 48 pc, followed by Romanian Orthodox Church Patriarch Daniel and Bucharest General Mayor Sorin Oprescu (photo), with 43 pc. King Mihai ranks fourth, with 42 pc, followed by the Social-Liberal Union (USL) co-presidents Crin Antonescu and Victor Ponta (39, respectively, 37 pc). Prime-minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu ranks ninth, with 28 pc, that is, 11, respectively, nine percents behind the opposition leaders. However, 54 per cent of the respondents are persuaded he will represent Traian Basescu’s and the Democrat-Liberal Party (PDL)’s interests, while only 27 pc think he is politically independent. President Traian Basescu claimed an even lower position in the ranking at 14 pc, though one percent above ex-prime-minister Emil Boc. Indeed, 56 pc of the respondents are dissatisfied with the head of state’s performance and the same percentage considers Emil Boc’s resignation was a very good decision.Nonetheless, even if very low, trust in the Presidency institution rose by 5 pc compared to May 2011, to 21 pc. Firefighters claim the top position in the ranking of the people’s trust in institutions with 94 pc, followed by the Army, the Church and the Gendarmerie. On the other hand, the Parliament and political parties rank the lowest, commending the lowest amount of trust.Based on voters’ intentions, USL would win the parliamentary elections. The Social-Democratic Party (PSD), National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Conservative Party (PC) would receive, jointly, 57 pc of votes, while PDL would rely on a mere 18 pc. Dan Diaconescu’s party ranks third, with 12 pc, while the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) would only get 4 pc. As regards voting attendance, 52 of respondents stated they would go to the polls, while 33 pc said they wouldn’t.
CSOP strikes back with totally different figures
However, the portion of the press which backs the ruling power strikes back with its own figures. According to a survey of the Market and Opinion Polling Centre (CSOP), conducted February 16 to 17 and quoted by “Evenimentul Zilei”, PM Mihai Ungureanu Ungureanu claims the top position in a ranking that reflects the people’s trust in politicians. According to this ranking, 29 pc of the Romanian people place “much and very much” trust in the head of the Cabinet. Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu ranks second, with 28 pc, followed by Liberal leader Crin Antonescu with 26 pc and his Social-Democrat ally, Victor Ponta, with 25 pc. As regards the level of satisfaction with Ungureanu’s activity as prime-minister, 38 pc of the respondents stated they were “satisfied and very satisfied”, 32 pc – “dissatisfied and very dissatisfied”, while another 30 pc refrained from rating his activity. USL comes first in CSOP’s ranking as well, but with a considerably lower ratio of 47 pc, while PDL is credited with 20 pc and the Dan Diaconescu-People’s Party with 18 pc.The CSOP poll also suggests that the number of Romanian people who think the country is heading in the right direction rose by 5 pc compared to late January, from 13 to 18 pc. Nonetheless, the remaining 76 pc believe the country is heading in the wrong direction. CSOP argues also that the majority of the respondents do not rate the parliamentary protest initiated by the opposition as something positive. Only 23 pc of the Romanians think that the PSD-PNL parliamentary strike is good for the country under present circumstances, while 60 pc rate it as a negative thing taking into consideration Romania’s present situation.
PDL, seeking means to recover
On the other hand, according to a study of the online daily “Gandul”, PDL is in a state of alert after the polls credited it with alarmingly low figures and, in some cases, indicated it to rank behind Dan Diaconescu’s party. According to the same source, an initial plan to regain the lost ground would be resuscitating the “People’s Movement” platform, which would include the Christian-Democratic National Peasant’s Party (PNTCD), the Green Party, as well as the National Union for Romanian Progress (UNPR). This platform would put up joint candidates for the local elections. PDL then wants to put the People’s Movement to the test in the parliamentary elections and, subsequently, in the presidential elections, due to take place in two years’ time, when, according to the aforementioned daily, PDL intends to nominate PM Mihai Razvan Ungureanu as the rightwing candidate.
