Socialist leaders host luxury gala during austerity campaign
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The Social Democratic Party has spent the week campaigning against austerity, a message slightly undermined by its leadership hosting a lavish party featuring the Italian singer Al Bano. Marcel Ciolacu used the evening to formalize a personal relationship; his party used it to demonstrate that belt-tightening is a policy best applied to others.
The opposition Save Romania Union is already looking toward 2028, though its internal politics remain volatile. Dominic Fritz is attempting to build a political alternative, while the party congress saw the unexpected removal of high-profile member Clotilde Armand from the leadership bureau. Meanwhile, Laura Codruța Kövesi has finished her term as European Chief Prosecutor, leaving many to wonder how she intends to spend her remaining political capital at home.
The ground and the weather have proven equally unstable, with four earthquakes recorded in the Vrancea region and a fifth in the Black Sea. Meteorologists have extended warnings for heavy snow and wind, while residents in the capital report that the streets are beginning to resemble the 1990s as homelessness and aggressive behavior increase.