Sociologists Vasile Dancu and Traian Rotariu from Cluj consider that the appearance of characters from the mundane area running for various public positions in the 2012 elections reflect the level of the Romanian political class and the people’s lack of confidence in politicians. Sociologist Vasile Dancu, the president of the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy (IRES) declared on Tuesday to a Mediafax correspondent that election year 2012 might offer big surprises about the appearance of candidacies in “the foggy area of vulgarity and the mundane.”The people’s lack of confidence in politicians and institutions should make us fear the election year 2012, which could offer us a big surprise as traditional parties might have problems with such types of candidates coming from the foggy area of vulgarity and the mundane. Characters like Iriniel Columbeanu felt it is the right moment and we may witness a mixture of candidates – experienced politicians, old parties next to such characters. They have no chances to win important positions, Iriniel Columbeanu will not win City Hall, but they may enter all kinds of institutions, at local council level or even in Parliament. Such characters will dilute politics,” the sociologist commented.
According to him, some characters coming from the mundane world will be encouraged to run representing certain parties. In his turn, Traian Rotariu, the head of the Sociology Department at the Sociology and Social Assistance Faculty of Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj Napoca, considers that candidacies of characters coming from the mundane world reflect the level of the Romanian political class.
“We do not have a political class as in civilized states. After 1990 politicians were not prepared as they are in other states. The candidacy of characters from the mundane world reflects the level of the Romanian political class. In the conditions of the present political class, there is nothing surprising in candidacies like Irinel Columbeanu’s. Anyway, I do not think he will get too many votes and will not win City Hall,” Rotariu told the Mediafax correspondent.
Compared to other politicians with positions in Parliament or the administration who are less visible, people like Irinel Columbeanu could convince some electors to vote him.
Businessman Irinel Columbeanu announced his intention to run as an independent in 2012 for City Hall. “As a simple citizen of Bucharest for 52 years I have the courage to join the race and obtain from you the confidence needed by the future general mayor of the Capital for the next four years,” Columbeanu declared.The businessman mentioned he would run as independent and his qualities for the position of mayor are “some intelligence” and the fact he does not belong to any political party.
Columbeanu was in the public eye last year for his divorce from Monica Gabor, a topic largely presented by the media. Columbeanu owns companies dealing with communications and constructions.
