International press reacts to designated PM Sevil Shhaideh’s rejection by President Iohannis

Newsroom 28/12/2016 | 14:37

The news of the rejection of PM designate Sevil Shhaideh’s by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis was reported by international media, which for the most part used a subdued tone and highlighted the fact that Shhaideh’s gender and religion were not her vulnerabilities.

Instead, her Syrian husband’s alleged affinity for the Bashar al-Assad regime was mentioned by many as a possible liability. Speculation is rife, as President Iohannis did not provide any reasons for his move and his office declined to comment. Many voices highlighted the fact that Romania is on the brink of a political crisis and spoke of “anger” among the Social Democratic Party (PSD) camp, which, after scoring a massive win in the elections, made the proposal.

“Ms Shhaideh has been criticised for lacking political experience, only serving once as a regional minister.

Analysts say her Syrian husband’s background may also have been a factor.

In response, PSD leader Liviu Dragnea said his party might consider trying to impeach Mr Iohannis.

He said there was no constitutional reason for refusing Ms Shhaideh, and accused Mr Iohannis of wanting “to start a political crisis,” the BBC wrote.

“Shhaideh’s political experience is limited, having served as development minister for just five months before the previous PSD-led government resigned in late 2015. This and her personal closeness to Dragnea – he was a witness at her wedding – stoked opposition accusations that she would merely be his puppet.

Shhaideh’s Muslim faith is not thought to have been a problem for Iohannis. Instead, the focus may have been on her Syrian husband, whom she married in 2011.

According to the non-profit investigative journalism group the Rise Project, he has several times expressed support for the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, and for the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah”, wrote The Guardian in a piece titled ‘Romanian president rejects nomination of Muslim woman for PM.’

“Shhaideh, 52, who has only five months ministerial experience, is from Romania’s small and long-established Turkish minority, but her Muslim faith is not thought to have been the problem.

Instead the focus was likely on her husband, 54, who worked in the Syrian agriculture ministry for 20 years before emigrating to Romania in 2011 and marrying Shhaideh the same year, according to the PSD,” Yahoo News wrote.

“Shhaideh, 52, served as minister of regional development for six months before the previous PSD-led government resigned in 2015 in the wake of a nightclub fire that killed 64 people.

She’s a little-known figure, but close to social democratic party leader Liviu Dragnea who was convicted of electoral fraud in April.

He was a witness at her 2011 wedding to a Syrian businessman, who is said to be supportive of Bashar al-Assad’s regime,” Euobserver.com wrote.

“The winners of a general election two weeks ago, the PSD is furious with the president, giving a strong reaction at a news conference.

Liviu Dragnea, the PSD leader, said: “This man wants to trigger a political crisis in Romania.”

“We will conduct a quick analysis and if, following this, we reach the conclusion that it is good for the country to suspend the president, I will not hesitate,” Euronews reported.

“Romanian media outlets have also reported, relying on unidentified sources, that Romania’s intelligence services were opposed to Ms. Shhaideh’s appointment” The New York Times wrote. “Other reports have suggested that her lack of high-level experience may also have been a factor in the president’s decision not to nominate her”.

“Mr. Dragnea said he was surprised by Mr. Iohannis’s rejection. “Our opinion is that this man actually wants to trigger a political crisis in Romania,” he said at a news conference.

Mr. Dragnea indicated that he might seek to exacerbate the political tensions, saying he would consult with other party members about the possibility of impeaching Mr. Iohannis.

“It’s not an easy decision,’’ he said. “If, following this assessment, we conclude that it is good for the country to suspend the president, I won’t have any hesitation,” the NYT wrote.

“Romania tumbled toward a new political crisis after President Klaus Iohannis rejected a prime minister nominee from the Social Democratic Party, which threatened to suspend him after winning a landslide election victory this month” Bloomberg wrote in a piece that recalled the fact that this type of crisis is not uncommon in Romania. “The standoff in the European Union’s second-poorest country raises the risk of returning to the type of crisis that led to months of bickering between top leaders and culminated in Traian Basescu’s suspension from the presidency in 2012. It may also undermine one of the fastest paces of growth in the EU by delaying investment and the tapping of development funds, an area where Romania has ranked last in the 28-member club.”

Georgeta Gheorghe

 

 

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