Main focus of Friday, January 20, 2012

Romanians fight for more democracy

Around 7,000 anti-government activists demonstrated in Bucharest. (© dapd)

The Romanian opposition alliance USL joined in the protests against the government's austerity programme and President Traian Băsescu on Thursday. But according to commentators the opposition parties are entertaining false hopes because the population doesn't trust them either.

Der Standard - Austria

Because the protest in Romania is directed against the political system as a whole it is unrealistic in the eyes of the left-liberal dialy Der Standard to expect the demonstrators to join forces with the opposition: "Băsescu's political career is now at stake. Because unlike in Russia and Hungary the opposition in Bulgaria enjoys 50 percent support according to the polls. However it is unlikely that the demonstrators will take sides with the opposition because for many of them the parties and trade unions themselves are untrustworthy. The social democrats in Spain were also unable to convince the 'indignant' in Madrid. According to political analyst Cristian Pirvulescu the protests in Romania are part of a global movement calling for more social and political democracy. These people don't want another party, they want a new political class." (19/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Politics, » Unrest / Riots, » Global, » Romania
All available articles from » Adelheid Wölfl
Who's saying what » The world protests

Glasove - Bulgaria

The week-long protests in Romania against President Traian Băsescu and the government's austerity policy will come to nothing as long as they are based only on hatred and anger, writes the online paper Glasove: "At the start of the protest some observers spoke hopefully of revolution of civil society, even a 'new revolution'. The good news is that the people have gone out on the streets to show their dissatisfaction, and that they have stuck it out for so long in the cold. They have hope. But there's got to be more to a 'new revolution' than just be a change of government. ... It's silly to wait for the deus ex machina that will save the nation. The Romanians must take the fate of their country into their own hands, and produce a new leadership that will change the system. ... It's time the voice of reason drowned out the helpless cries of hatred and rejection." (19/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Unrest / Riots, » Society, » Romania
All available articles from » Maria Dermendzhieva

Evenimentul Zilei - Romania

The early elections demanded by the demonstrators in Romania could put the country's economy at peril, author Mircea Cărtărescu fears in the daily Evenimentul Zilei: "Traian Băsescu has used up the trust placed in him during the first three to four years of his term in office. In his second term he has lacked ideas and new projects. He no longer had the political situation under control. ... Băsescu is a man of the past. But I am extremely sceptical about the potential consequences of his resigning and new elections being held. Prime Minister Boc's government has provided a certain amount of economic stability. ... Emil Boc may be described as mediocre and incompetent but so far no one has disputed his good will and his selflessness - two qualities rarely found in politicians. ... It is questionable whether the unstable economy could withstand a sudden change of government brought on by the pressure of the street protests." (20/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Unrest / Riots, » Romania
All available articles from » Mircea Cărtărescu

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