The strained relations between Prime Minister Victor Ponta and PNL President Crin Antonescu, have been the subject of debate on the Sunday night "Meeting Point" show by Radu Tudor, on Antena 3.
Radu Tudor’s guests, Marian Petrache, head of campaign for the PNL and sociologist Mirel Palada, spokesman for the Romanian Government debated over the two parties options in the presidential elections.
Mirel Palada, a sociologist, clearly explained that there are many variables when it comes to polls and you cannot pin a number on the ratings of a candidate concerned.
"We need to talk about methodology and take into account the fact that we get different answers depending on how you ask the questions. Here we talk about voting intentions. It also matters if we speak of the 1st round or the 2nd round of elections, whether there are open questions, lists, etc. The problem with this simulation is that you have to do all sorts of questions, lists, etc. . So what we need to understand is that we are talking about a combination of all variables. The 1st elections round overlaps the expected numbers . Just the way we had in 2009, they come to reflect the party discipline. "
Still, Palada explained what are the options of the current candidates.
"If Victor Ponta is the PSD candidate, he will score somewhere between 35 and 40%. The second place would go to Crin Antonescu. He will most likely enter the second round with a score somewhere around 20%, again depending on the counter candidates of the other parties. If PDL, PMP, FC send a very strong candidate, it is possible that the distance between the 2nd and 3rd place should be very small. We should not forget that there is also the candidate MRU, who, as far as I know is much better rated than Mr. Predoiu or Mrs. Elena Udrea, whom we talked about. It is possible that Mr. MRU should get somewhere around 20%. It will matter a lot on whose behalf he runs. If we speak about the FC, he will take very little, but if he runs on behalf of the PMP or the PDL, it is possible that he will break a leg. Antonescu might get a little more, maybe 25%. I am not providing any data, we are talking about plausibility. "
However, the liberal Marian Petrache explained that the PNL had to fight back several attacks since the beginning of USL and that this will be seen in the future, when people understand that Antonescu is not the problem.
"Crin Antonescu has been a target for almost 3 year, Ponta has just entered this race, Crin Antonescu took responsibilities, Crin Antonescu carried on his back most of the load. As time passes and people understand that Mr. Antonescu is not the problem, he will rise again in the polls. "