Romania’s President Traian Basescu will join the Popular Movement Party (PMP) on December 22, at the end of his presidential mandate, PMP president Elena Udrea said in a press conference.

Elena Udrea is currently running for presidency in the November 2 elections, and promises to follow Basescu’s footsteps. Her candidacy was endorsed by Basescu.

The president also supported PMP in the campaign for the euro parliamentary elections, which brought him critics from his opponents as his mediator role requires him to stay out of political campaigns.

The President is already a member of the Popular Movement Foundation, a pre-party structure used to create PMP.

Traian Basescu has served two mandates as president. He was first elected in December 2004 with the support of a political alliance made of the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL) and the National Liberal Party (PNL). Back then, he was leader of PDL.

Meanwhile, PDL broke and some of its former members joined Udrea’s PMP, while others remained independent. PDL and PNL have formed a new political alliance, the Christian Liberal Alliance (ACL) which supports presidential campaign of Klaus Iohannis, Sibiu’s mayor.

editor@romania-insider.com