Some 140 university professors on Wednesday called on Romanians to vote for pro-European Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan in a tight runoff this weekend and protect the nation’s young democracy.
“There are diverse political beliefs – right, left, center. It is precisely this plurality that is part of the essence of a democratic society and a free university,” the professors of the University of Bucharest said.
The choice that Romania faces is not about the left or the right, but the very possibility of free thinking, research and debate. To have a pluralistic society, a living university, a critical and open space,” counts.
“It is not the first time in the history of Romania that authoritarian, extremist, fascist or legionary options try to legitimize themselves through political discourse. Our university has directly known, in the past, the danger of ideologies that have replaced free thought with dogma, the chair with threats, dialogue with fear,” the statement said.
Dan, 55, faces frontrunner George Simion, a nationalist, who has threatened to deal with his opponents “individually” if he wins the May 18 runoff.
The professors statement said that the “shadows (of extremism) are no longer just research topics in libraries. They can return to real life. Therefore, our responsibility is not only an academic one, but, above all, a moral one.”
“Romania needs a president who can guarantee respect for the Constitution, for the institutions and for the pluralism without which a democracy cannot function. This is the reason why we, the professors of the University of Bucharest, support the candidacy of Nicușor Dan in the second round of the presidential elections.”
“We also call on all Romanian citizens committed to respect for the Constitution, democracy and pluralism to join this option. If Nicușor Dan becomes the president of Romania, the debate about ideas, doctrines and public policies will be able to continue. We will still be able to disagree – reasoned, civilized, in the spirit of academic freedom. The opposite option will stop this debate.”
