The greatest evil the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) did Traian Basescu has been the modification of the Constitution in 2003, that is the fact that the President's mandate was prolonged from four to five years. The change made five years ago was meant to support the Social-Democrats' power to continue. But although not deliberately, it is now striking against President Basescu's main objective: win another mandate in 2009. Had this year's elections been general, that is both presidential and parliamentary, Traian Basescu would have stood much greater odds to get a second mandate and directly support the making of a government to suit him. But the present state of things in politics is showing that there will be no obvious winner of this autumn's parliamentary elections and that it will be the first time that three big parties will matter in the battle over the making of the government: the PD-L (Demcrat-Liberal Party), the PSD and the PNL (National Liberal Party). The first two are sure to fight over the top position. No matter the post-election strategy the President uses to establish the government, Traian Basescu will be weakened politically, as compared to the force he has got today. Any Democrat-Liberal PM the President should assign to make the government will fetch considerable trouble, because of the troubled history of the last three years. Who will the PD-L join in the boat to make the government? Will it be the PNL, a party the Democrat-Liberals have been quarrelling with every day for three years now? Will it be the PSD, in spite of the fact that Emil Boc's party settled in the status there could be no alliance with the Social-Democrats? No matter which choice Traian Basescu makes, it will weaken his political position and diminish his chance to get reelected a President. The idea of a PD-L government is neither any help to the President, for the other two big parties would strongly deny it, bringing the political scandal of the last three years to a climax, especially if the PD-L fails to top electors' preferences this autumn. A hostile parliamentary majority would get established spontaneously and it would turn into a presidential gap, as presidential elections are due nine months after the appointing of a new government. One hypothesis lately rumored is that Traian Basescu will first choose to sacrifice a Democrat-Liberal candidate to be dismissed by the Parliament and he will then pick a young, little prominent politician or even a technocrat to try to patch parliamentary majority on basis of PD-L and PNL support, together with two vice PMs from the two parties, without PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu, of course. It is not only that this hypothesis looks fanciful, but it would also be strongly denied by the PSD, a party wishing to get power after four years of formal opposition. In fact, the Social-Democrats have had major influence on the Liberals' rule in the last two years, as far as the great projects are concerned. The last year left of the current mandate will actually be much troubled and there will be no one to blame. So although Traian Basescu seems to be the main player in terms of the party to win this autumn, the costs of the choice for a new PM may make it more difficult for him to win a second mandate. After having been elected a President in 2004, the 5-year mandate looked like a major advantage for Traian Basescu. But now it is more of a disadvantage. No matter the denouement, next December and January will show the real relations on the political stage in Romania, since the new Parliament and government are impossible to establish earlier.

Horia MIHALCESCU