Romanian politics: a father and son act

15/01/2010

Is a rich member of parliament behind his 23-year-old son's run for office? Is the young politician fit for public service? The Romanian blogosphere wants to know.

By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest - 15/01/10

"Let's start over” campaign poster for Honorius Prigoana. [Paul Ciocoiu]

When Honorius Prigoana -- son of prominent businessman and Liberal-Democrat parliament member Silviu Prigoana -- announced a run for parliament, the Romanian public was suspicious.

Speculation ranged from the true intentions of father and son, political party nepotism and the young man's experience.

At 23, Prigoana is the minimum age eligible to run for parliament. He was told by many however, including those from his own Liberal Democrat Party (PDL) to leave politics to the veterans and return to the life of a well-bred man about town. He is running against an experienced Liberal -- Radu Stroe -- for the vacant seat representing Bucharest's first electoral district.

Honorius finished high school in the United States and then helped his father run the family business, a waste collection and disposal company called Rosal. Determined to prove he is a different political animal from his father, Honorius organised a campaign behind the slogan "Let's start over".

To broaden his appeal, he did much of his campaigning through a blog.

"I'm joining the country's president and my party in supporting the effort of modernisation and reforming of Romania, of the state institutions, public administration and the whole society", he wrote, declaring that the country needs a "reforming wave within the political class, starting even with the structure of the parliament".

The blogosphere responded with scepticism.

Particularly critical is the PDL European MP Cristian Preda. Support for Prigoana's candidacy "is a sign of a clear tendency towards the party's move towards an oligarchy", Preda said, adding "if someone thinks our oligarchs are better than theirs, than they are very wrong."

"Prigoana should understand the sense of the competition he has joined, and not lead his rhetoric on a more fragmented terrain than the one he is used to as a driver with numerous speeding tickets," said Preda, referring to Prigoana's lavish lifestyle and collection of expensive cars.

Journalist Costi Rogozanu described the candidacy is a textbook case of nepotism and ascribed the PDL's support of Honorius to financial support they received from his father during last fall's presidential campaign.

"This is a unique moment when we can vote against nepotism," Rogozanu said.

Another MP, Sever Voinescu, said Prigoana's poor image is a result of prejudice. Many who believe in spiritual values and public ethics "have already labelled him a money-ready boy, dear to tabloids and TV shows in search for ratings, who climbs the social -- and now political -- ladder because his father is rich".

Journalist Laura Cernahoschi suggested giving the young man the benefit of the doubt.

"It seems abnormal to me to condemn someone a priori just because he is his father's son," she said. "We have to give him a chance and see what he is up to."