How democracy beat the oligarchs

This is a short story about how democracy won in a head to head confrontation with the oligarchs of Romania.

This began about three months ago when one of the richest people in the country, Dan Voiculescu, declared that in 60 days the president will be taken down and a coalition formed from the Social Democrat Party (PSD) and National Liberal Party (PNL) will be put in place with Victor Ponta from PSD as Prime Minister and Crin Antonescu (PNL) as President.

After 59 days, on May 7th, the president Traian Basescu, ignoring this statemant, named Victor Ponta as Prime Minister after the coalition started attacking every other PM that was named and who was not from their coalition.

After taking office, Victor Ponta began preparations for the suspension of the president. By using emergency orders, he changed the referendum and election laws that are found in the Constitution, thus changing it at will. The time for voting was thus increased by two hours, until 23:00 and for the referendum to be valid a presence of 50% + 1 person was needed.

On July 6th the parliament voted that the president should be suspended and a referendum will be held to ask the people weather or not they want Traian Basescu as their president.

Imediately after, a fierce campaign was initiated to steer the public opinion against the now suspended president. Every TV station, newspaper and radion station that had connections with Dan Voiculescu's media trust began to demonize the former president.

Sensing that this 'war' cannot be won without the help of the people, Traian Basescu called for the boicot of the referendum, asking people not to vote. thus the 50% + 1 requierment was not reached.

On July 29th, at 7 AM, the referendum began.

At 22:00 PM the presence was estimated at 37%, thus the referendum was not valdiated. Sensing that this can be true the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), controled by the USL coalition issued secret orders to the rural areas to start going from house to house and give people money to vote for them. This began at arround 22:00 PM.

At 23:00 PM the voting was closed at an estimated 46% presence thus the referendum was not validated.

Even with the oligarchs strugling to get into power, democracy won even though this victory was not a correct one.

The reasons why Dan Voiculescu wanted to suspend the president was to avoid being trialed in multiple cases of fraud, bribery, money laundering and other crimes that fall in this category. Another reason was to get the former romanian Prime Minister, Adrian Nastase out of prison after he got 2 years for corruption.

There is a lot more to talk about the intentions of the USL coalition and namely the Social Democrat Party who is made up of mostly former communists who want the power for themselves.

I hope this story gives us hope for the future, and will inspire many to fight against tirany because aparently it can be done by the people.




(Just for you to paint a picture for you on how free speech was non existant during the PSD ruling, i can tell you that who dared confront or criticize them was arrested.)