Romania: PM’s tieless look talking point in electoral race.

BUCHAREST, Romania – Is Romania’s prime minister straining his ties with voters during an election campaign?

Since Dacian Ciolos appeared open-collared and sans cravat in recent television interviews, there have been clucks of disapproval.

“Even crooks wear ties. He mocked us,” says architect Valentina Lupan.

“Ciolos should wear a tie, to show he means business. That is what the tie represents, you mean business,” say Marian Ciopec, a business consultant.

Others, however, approved.

“It shows that he is relaxed and doesn’t want to create a distance between himself and the average person,” says Lia Galic, a former English teacher.

Ciolos has not explained this new look. In contrast, his opponent Liviu Dragnea, who is chairman of the Social Democrats, has worn a plain red or blue tie in pre-election appearances.

A political strategist said the tieless look is to attract voters.

“Politicians generally have a bad… image and if they appear without a tie, they seem closer to the people, like they are working and not just talking,” said Radu Delicote, an analyst for Smartlink Communications.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras often works without a tie, including in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“It was like he was saying, ‘I have come here to represent Greece,’” Delicote said. “It was a show of strength.”

Other world leaders have also gone tieless at times.

When President Barack Obama met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, both appeared without neckwear. And “no tie” was also the rule at the G-8 summit that year.

“I think it’s important for politicians to dress how they feel best,” said Stefania Cardima, a retiree who had been shopping Saturday at a Bucharest mall.

Her husband, Gheorghe Cardima, added: “I don’t think intelligence can be measured by a tie.”