EXCLUSIVE The Central Electoral Bureau has adopted a decision allowing the dissolution of the protocol of the PSD-PNL Alliance in Bucharest, although the deadline stipulated in a government decision has already been exceeded / It is about rectifying an error

The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), headed by judge Vasile Bîcu, adopted a decision on Wednesday allowing the dissolution of an electoral alliance until April 26, although a government decision stipulates that the deadline was April 21. The BEC decision is currently relevant for PSD and PNL, the two parties that decided to break the electoral alliance at Bucharest City Hall and participate with separate candidates – Gabriela Firea (PSD) and Sebastian Burduja (PNL).

• UPDATE: A specialist in electoral legislation explained to G4Media that the BEC decision has the role of rectifying an error in the Government Decision that set the deadline on April 21.

What the current electoral legislation says:

GEO 21/2024 adopted by the Ciolacu government states in Article 5, paragraph 4 that “The agreement to terminate the protocol for establishing an electoral alliance is submitted to the electoral office where it was registered at least 4 days before the deadline for submitting candidates”.

Government Decision 199/2024 adopted by the Ciolacu government shows that this deadline is April 21.

In other words, according to the legislation in force, PSD and PNL could have submitted an agreement to abolish the protocol establishing the electoral alliance for Bucharest only until Sunday, April 21, inclusive. However, this was impossible, because the leaders of the two parties made the decision to abolish the initial protocol and participate in the elections with separate candidates only in the marathon meeting on Monday, April 22, and the leaderships of the two parties formalized the decisions on Tuesday, 23 April.

In order to solve this problem of PSD and PNL, the Central Electoral Bureau adopted on Wednesday Decision 54H/2024 which gives a different deadline than the one in GEO 21/2024 and HG 199/2024: it is April 26.

Decision 54H/2024: In applying the provisions of art. 5 para. (4) from the Government’s Emergency Ordinance no. 21/2024, the agreement to abolish the protocol for establishing the electoral alliance in the elections for the local public administration authorities in 2024, can be submitted to the constituency electoral office where it was registered, at least 4 days before the deadline for submitting candidates, respectively no later than April 26, 202423.59, inclusive.

Practically, through this decision, the Central Electoral Bureau gives PSD and PNL the green light to break the old protocol of the alliance and go with separate candidates for the General City Hall and with separate lists for the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest.

The initial protocol of the PSD-PNL Alliance provided for joint candidacies for the Bucharest City Hall, the General Council, the sector mayors and the six local councils.

In fact, last Friday, Daniel Băluţă submitted his candidacy for the City Hall of District 4 in Bucharest on behalf of the PSD-PNL electoral alliance, based on the initial protocol of the alliance, together with the necessary signatures.