In a guest post on Paul Krugman's blog, Kim Lane Scheppele details the threats to democracy posed by the Prime Minister in Romania, Victor Ponta.
Ponta, whose Social Liberal Union was brought to power in April after an IMF bailout and a series of austerity measures enacted under IMF auspices, has moved to undermine threats to his own party's power in parliament and has attempted to override checks on his own power as prime minister.
In particular, Ponta has sought to undermine rulings by the constitutional court, especially those that defend the power of the Presidency, now held by a former member of center–right Democrat Liberal Party. Ponta had ordered the Justice Minister to remove all the judges who voted against him in case involving who, the President or the Prime Minister, officially represented Romania internationally. After failing in that bid because of international pressure, parliament has passed an emergency resolution suspending the constitutional court's power.
Ponta's party has now brought an impeachment indictment against President Basescu, who has been president since 2004. If he is impeached, then he will face a referendum, something he survived in 2007.
Now, Ponta does not rule alone, and his party is also allied in a coalition. So, even if his measures succeed, there may be hope for democracy in Romania. But, the current trends are worrisome.
Ponta, whose Social Liberal Union was brought to power in April after an IMF bailout and a series of austerity measures enacted under IMF auspices, has moved to undermine threats to his own party's power in parliament and has attempted to override checks on his own power as prime minister.
In particular, Ponta has sought to undermine rulings by the constitutional court, especially those that defend the power of the Presidency, now held by a former member of center–right Democrat Liberal Party. Ponta had ordered the Justice Minister to remove all the judges who voted against him in case involving who, the President or the Prime Minister, officially represented Romania internationally. After failing in that bid because of international pressure, parliament has passed an emergency resolution suspending the constitutional court's power.
Ponta's party has now brought an impeachment indictment against President Basescu, who has been president since 2004. If he is impeached, then he will face a referendum, something he survived in 2007.
Now, Ponta does not rule alone, and his party is also allied in a coalition. So, even if his measures succeed, there may be hope for democracy in Romania. But, the current trends are worrisome.
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