Letter to my colleagues in USR.

I have spoken about my departure in a letter and a video message.

Since September 1st, I have joined my colleagues who founded REPER Party.

I believe that my current responsibility is to bring together people who understand that we are in the middle of our way to an upgraded Romania and that we cannot stand aside. That is why I will seek to join them in building a reform movement for Romania.

It's not a drop-out. I join our colleagues who must be represented and whose energies must be used in politics, colleagues who are now building REPER Party.

Special thanks to my colleagues in team CURAJ on whose list I ran for party president. I believe their choice to remain in the party as an internal reform group is as valid and courageous an option as building alternatives from the outside, and I urge all those who decide to stay in the party to support them.

I remain open to USR projects and always available for consultations and questions in the parliamentary cabinet. I believe in open parties, where people with common visions debate and work together openly and effectively.

Join me, join us! Let's work together for 2024 and beyond to cross the threshold of hope together, through hard work!

1. It was not an easy decision to make.

It is a decision that I took while trying to understand what my responsibilities are, what are the expectations of those who left the party or those who supported me, but especially what are the expectations of our electorate.

But I want to be very clear: I equally respect those who have decided to work to make USR a vehicle for change, including by supporting those changes in status and culture necessary to ensure coherence of values between national and domestic political action. But I believe that political competition is one way to ensure such changes.

2. We have two years until the 2024 elections. What do we think will happen then if we go down the same road?

Unfortunately, the situation is not good now. We cannot hope that Romania will go down the path of real reforms if things continue in the current direction.

3. Who can bring about change?

It is the responsibility of the opposition to create an alternative to the ruling coalition's proposals. The democratic opposition, upholding European values. It is the responsibility of this opposition to be a strong voice, inspiring and mobilizing society. And to protect it from the danger of empty populism, the appeal to tribal thinking, the temptation of authoritarianism and violent political discourse.

Unfortunately, the current democratic opposition does not seem to understand its role very well. Unfortunately, the alienation of many former party members, supporters and voters is an obvious fact, proven by figures and polls. Unfortunately, in the two years since the elections, we have not succeeded in gaining more trust, but have lost trust in sterile disputes, arrogant or superficial behavior. This is because we have often failed to internalize internal mechanisms and procedures that favor fairness and transparency, that enhance involvement, openness and enthusiastic action by members.

And that is why the responsibility for change lies primarily with those of us who promised a different policy.

I especially thank my colleagues in the CURAJ team on whose list I ran for the USR presidency. I believe that their choice to remain in the party as an internal reform group is as valid and courageous an option as building alternatives from the outside, and I urge all those who decide to stay in USR to support them.

4. This is where we start.

I'm not leaving the party because it's the easier path.

I want to contribute with my colleagues to a better political construction.

I am an entrepreneur, I believe in competition. I believe that only by offering real choices in politics can we move forward. I believe that those who want to be politically involved must have choices, if they are to have a voice. I believe that the electorate must have more than one choice if their voice is to be heard.

I'm off to build so that those who went to the polls with hope in 2019 or 2020 won't say "I have no one to vote for in 2024, so I'm staying home”.

I am leaving to represent my colleagues from PLUS or USR who took to the streets in 2017-2020, civically or politically, but who have now retired from political life. I know that they withdrew not because they don't want to hear about Romania anymore, but because they love Romania too much to play politics, but feel irrelevant. I know that they are still there and that a relevant, honest and clear political movement will move them.

Many have already been moved, in fact. Hundreds of people around me want to give it another try. To put our shoulder to the wheel again, now with more experience. Let's petter on another man's goat, care more about our own garden. Let's do things not because we are against someone, but because we know we need to be involved.

And one more thing: I am grateful to my colleagues in USR. I thank most of them. And, above all, I assure them of my full support. Whether we are talking about colleagues in parliament or local authorities, or members without public office, I will be open to their proposals. Our paths will go a long way together. Changing Romania is equally our responsibility.

5. Romania needs us!

With each electoral cycle we have taken a step towards a European, modern, democratic Romania. The challenge this time, in 2024, is to take the decisive step.

We can do this by preparing much better than we did two or three years ago. Leaving the small talk to others and focusing on real needs and solutions.

Let me tell you what I'll be working on with the people in my extended team in the coming period:

  1. A set of guidelines for local elected officials on libraries as digital hubs, renewable energy sources for communities, improving the status of women and limiting abuses against them, hot school meals as the norm in education.

  2. A community center in Bucharest where we involve volunteers who want to help in the fields of health, education, environmental protection and interaction with the administration. A place to find out about problems and test solutions.

  3. Above all, a team vision in politics. A culture based on collaboration, on identifying issues, on argument and figures, on respect for experts and practitioners in a field. A culture based on enthusiasm and transparency, not bossiness and opacity.

 

I will do these things alongside admirable people who are dedicated to the idea of political involvement. I am so grateful that they are with me. And I feel lucky to be able to be with them.

I therefore invite you to join me and my colleagues in taking this decisive step in the coming years.

Organize, work on those public policies, present those ideas, have the debates, attract expert teams, promote those solutions that Romania needs.

Join me, join us. Let's work together and cross in 2024 the threshold of hope, together, through hard work.

With energy, a willingness to work together and the conviction that we will do a great job,
Cătălin Teniță,
MP elected on USR PLUS lists in Bucharest constituency