The serious accusations exchanged by the two sides at the rallies held across the country have been accompanied by what we might describe as an assault of political marketing. The streets are full of Social Liberal Union banners containing some of the president’s decisions that have affected the country in the last few years, while Traian Basescu, supported by the Liberal Democratic Party, now in opposition, presents his adversaries as the enemies of justice.

A majority of the electorate as a whole is needed for the referendum to be valid, which has led the Social Liberal Union to focus its marathon campaign on convincing people to go to the polls, aware that in the last few years, at least, election turnout hasn’t been very strong.

In a seemingly paradoxical move, Traian Basescu has also been urging people to go to the polls because, as he put it in an interview to the daily Adevarul, “it would be an extraordinary gain for Romania if, through their vote, the Romanians could thwart an illegal action and spare us 3, 4 or 5 years of penitence and monitoring”. Traian Basescu:

“I ask you to go to the polls on the 29th of July and say NO, say NO to those who put the interests of the people with criminal records above the national interest. Say NO to those who believe that any form of behaviour is acceptable in the European Union.”

A turnout of less than 50% means Traian Basescu will automatically resume his position as president. Studies conducted by the Social Liberal Union suggest there will be a 60% turnout, with about 66% of the voters saying YES to Traian Basescu’s impeachment. In the opinion of the Liberal MP and former prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, “the time has come for a change at Cotroceni”:

“Romania is again considered the most corrupt country in Europe. If you want a country in which everybody can aspire to what’s best and achieve it, then vote for the future of Romania.”

In the meantime, prime minister Victor Ponta says the decision of voters will be respected, whatever it may be.