USR — Nicuşor Dan is the president elect of the Save Romania Union, after having won a majority of votes at the first congress of the party which was held between May 12- 14 in the city of Cluj-Napoca, northwest. The party has also drafted its statute, its most important provision referring to the organization of internal referendums on important decision that are to be taken at party level. The document also writes that the new leadership will make public their wealth statements and statements of purpose on the party’s website. The opposition Save Romania Union, the newest party on the Romanian political scene, and the third party in Parliament in terms of seats held, intends to become, in two years’ time, the second most important party of Romania, to be able to appoint the prime minister at the 2020 elections. At the same time, the Save Romania Union party wants to have equal chances in the 2020 elections for mayors in Romania’s big cities.
Eurovision — Romania has been ranked 7th in this year’s Eurovision contest held in Kiev, Ukraine. Romania was represented by Ilinca and Alex Florea with the piece “Yodel it!” Many sites wrote about the Romanian artists that they were the most beloved pair at the 2017 edition of the contest. The Eurovision contest, which reached its 65th edition this year, took place under the motto “Celebrate Diversity”. The winner was Portugal’s representative, Salvator Sobral, with the song “Amar Pelos Dois”.
Madrid Tennis Tournament — The best-ranked Romanian tennis player, Simona Halep, (8th WTA) has won the Madrid tennis tournament for the second consecutive year. The contest had prizes up for grabs worth more than 5 million dollars. on Saturday evening she defeated the French player Kristina Mladenovici in 3 sets, 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2. Simona Halep also made it to the final of the Madrid tournament in 2012.
Paris Inauguration— One week after the landslide victory he obtained in the second round of the presidential ballot against the far right candidate Marine Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France’s youngest ever president, as part of a ceremony held in Paris. Aged 39, Macron wants to boost the French economy, to reform the country’s political life and curb the unemployment rate. A former banker, Emmanuel Macron has never before run for president. He set up his centrist political movement only one year ago.
North Korea –North Korea on Sunday launched a ballistic missile in new test, which has been condemned by the international community. Japanese officials said the missile, which was launched from the northwestern city of Kusong, reached an altitude of 2,000 kms. The new South Korean president called the test a “reckless provocation” while the Japanese PM said Pyongyang’s repeated tests represented a threat to the Japanese people. The American President has called for tougher sanctions against North Korea while a Kremlin spokesperson said President Vladimir Putin was concerned by the test. China, North Korea’s sole major ally, has called for restraint by “all relevant parties” following the latest test by North Korea. (news translated by L. Simion)
