Why President Traian Basescu Sleeps Well At Night

President Traian Basescu may serenely watch the fretting of his political opponents, who want to start the procedures leading to his impeachment. The laws make his stay in office almost impossible to terminate prior to the end of his mandate, in 2009.

The Social Democrat Party, in opposition, wants to assemble an anti-Basescu coalition of votes in Parliament, which will make the simple majority needed for impeaching the President. However, there is a catch-22 here, as the Parliament decision needs the approval of a referendum, to become effective.

So, in 30-day time after the Parliament decides for impeachment, the people are called to take a vote on a very simple question: "Do you agree with impeaching the President of Romania?" However, the impeachment is considered approved only if it gets the simple majority of the enlisted voters.
In 2004, Romania had 17,995,828 registered voters. The 2007 electoral lists may not dramatically differ; hence some 8.9 million people should cast valid votes approving the impeachment, in order for it to be enacted.

Or Romania has a 60% rate of voters showing up at the polls in the first place.
This means that 80% of those heading to the polls should vote against Basescu keeping his job.
The odds for this to happen are so low, that you see, now, why he sleeps tight at night.