EXCLUSIVE POLL 77% of Romanians believe that Romania will face an economic crisis this year/ Confidence that the political leaders can manage the crisis is at its lowest level/ Most Romanians use their cars as much as before despite the fuel price increases

A significant 77% of Romanians fear a possible economic crisis and the worst fear is rising prices, according to a survey conducted by Avangarde on behalf of G4Media.ro.

According to the survey, Romanians do not think that the current political leaders are well prepared to manage the crisis: only 14% believe that PNL leader Nicolae Ciucă is ready, 13% Marcel Ciolacu (PSD), 3% Cătălin Drulă and 2% George Simion (AUR).

Significantly, 38% believe that neither is ready to manage a possible crisis. Despite fuel prices, 27% say they drive the same as before and only 20% drive less.

The survey was conducted by Avangarde from 11 to 16 of April using the telephone interview method on a sample of 850 respondents, with a margin of error of 3.2%.

The survey in-depth

77% of those surveyed by Avangarde believe that Romania will face an economic crisis this year, only 3% do not think so and 17% cannot estimate.

28% of respondents identify war as the main cause of an eventual economic crisis, 23% energy price increases, 21% the effects of the pandemic and only 11% associate an eventual crisis with the quality of the administration.

14% believe that PNL leader Nicolae Ciucă is ready to manage a possible economic crisis, 13% Marcel Ciolacu (PSD), 3% Cătălin Drulă and 2% George Simion (AUR). Significantly, 38% believe that none of them is prepared to manage a possible crisis, while 30% do not know or did not answer.

In the event of an economic crisis, 36% of Romanians believe that President Klaus Iohannis will get involved in managing it, 30% think he will not get involved and 31% do not know or did not answer.

Regarding the management of the problems the country is currently facing, 39% of those surveyed believe that the current PSD-PNL-UDMR coalition has taken the right measures. 27% disagree with these measures while 29% do not know or did not answer.

Rising prices are by far the biggest economic problem: 78%, only 8% fear rising bank interest rates and only 5% unemployment.

43% of those surveyed by Avangarde say they have postponed buying big ticket items such as a car or house and put more money aside because of fears that a crisis could follow. However, 39% say they have not postponed the purchase of expensive goods.

43% of Romanians say they can afford to go on vacation this year, 33% cannot afford it and 21% cannot estimate.

Of those who say they will go on vacation, 37% say they will vacation in the country, 12% both in the country and abroad and 25% say they prefer to go abroad.

Despite fuel prices, 27% of Romanians say they drive as before, 20% say they drive less, 11% say they avoid long journeys in the country and 11% say they use public transport more.

Only 6% of Romanians say they asked for a pay rise and received it, 8% say they asked for but did not receive it and 61% say they did not ask for a pay rise.

Article edited for English

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