The PSD (Social-Democrat Party) has reached a major crisis because of losing credibility and adepts. The party is now searching for solutions to get a new position in 2006, an electoral year. The question the strategists of the ex ruling party are trying to answer is how to show the PSD policies and leaders for 2008 so that the party would reach the foreground again. Geoana has managed to confirm his powerlessness and inconsistency as politician and as true leader. Rus is more and more assailed and denied. Iliescu is fretting like a ghost belonging to a different era. The Social-Democrats need a leader to counter Basescu. Unfortunately, the almighty daddy myth is still prevailing in the minds of Romanian citizens and electors. We are still indebted to a "real politic" system with the leader as the engine or burden of a party. This is the general context in which we can notice these days an almost unrealistic attempt to release to the market an ex PSD leader, whose name meant political-media lynching until a short whole ago. Adrian Nastase, the politician who succeeded in counting the most spectacular rise and fall in Romania's recent history, is getting ready to strike back. It is almost unbelievable, but there still seem to be some people suffering from "nostalgia", who are taking him for a solution. Since there were loyal adepts fancying Napoleon could return from the Elba Island straight to the throne of France, why wouldn't there be chaps who take Nastase for a solution? After all, to those who want to forget the conduct and attitude, who generated the "nigh of the long knives" in the Confort Hotel in the end, when Nastase was dumped once and for all, he may be a victim too. The fact that he was dumped by those who wouldn't have existed politically without his support is an issue still open for debate. But only for historians, for, even in a Romania where "el leader maximo" continues to be politicians' aspirations, Nastase can't even hope to strike back! His name is still equated with corruption at the highest level, with utter disdain for ordinary Romanians, political subordinates and even colleagues reigning in the PSD, with incredible greed and thriftiness. Adrian Nastase is synonymous to the loss of citizens' trust in the power of state institutions. Under his reign, the latter lost credibility more and more. He is synonymous to the rebirth of a true mafia (like when Carol II was in power), when his wife, Birner, Petrache, the same Cocos, Finis, Truica, Sindie, Tesu and more were the true government of Romania! No one knew any more if the truly important decisions were reached in government meetings or in the kitchen of the PM's residence! But maybe in the eyes of the press, of Romanians, of party colleagues and all those in contact with him the main sin of the ex PM's is still his infinite arrogance. Power changes people and even the very strong characters and absolute power also changes and scars people in an absolute way! Those pursuing to bring Nastase back to the foreground of the public stage are taking the risk of attracting to themselves all the distrust and antipathy this character has given birth to in the last years! P.S.: I will never understand how come a man gifted with remarkable cleverness, refined and educated, probably the most educated Romanian politician nowadays, abusing true erudition, endowed with qualities recommending him for a true leader, got to be slain by his own weaknesses, flaws and habits! Rarely can we see one single being sheltering the demon of knowledge together with the demon of failure and the one of absolute haughtiness!

Rares BOGDAN