Romania’s centrist parties still unable to reach consensus over new PM
The leaders of Romania’s Social Democratic Party (PSD), National Liberal Party (PNL), Save Romania Union (USR), and Hungarian minority party UDMR have emerged from the consultations initiated by president Nicusor Dan on Monday, July 13, without a solution to resolve the current political crisis, PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu announced.
The crisis began in May after the Social Democrats voted alongside the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians Party (AUR) to dismiss the Liberal-led Ilie Bolojan government, despite existing agreements with coalition partners.
Ever since then, parties in the Romanian Parliament have proved unable to form a majority, with votes split roughly one-third for each of the three sides: the Social Democrats, the reformist PNL-USR alliance, and the sovereignist camp. As a result, previous PM proposals such as the technocratic Eugen Tomac and the Liberal dissidence led by Adrian Vestea failed to gather enough votes. Moreover, they soured relations between the reformist bloc and president Nicusor Dan, who founded USR but left the party in 2017.
According to PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu, after two hours of discussions mediated by the president on Monday, the leaders of PSD, PNL, USR, and UDMR left without a solution for unblocking the situation and forming a new government. He did not provide details, saying only that “today perhaps the tone was lower, but absolutely nothing emerged.”
Grindeanu said the latest consultations have not resolved the situation because PNL and USR “restricted their room for maneuver.” The two parties had repeatedly signaled before the vote that dismissed Ilie Bolojan that they would not form another alliance with PSD if the Liberal-led government fell.
The prime minister proposals brought to the discussions were Siegfried Mureșan, from PNL-USR-UDMR, and Sorin Grindeanu, supported by PSD. Reportedly in the cards for PM, PNL-backed interim finance minister Alexandru Nazare was not discussed as a proposal.
During a subsequent press conference, Sorin Grindeanu also spoke about the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) and accused the other parties of using it as a weapon. He also emphasized that he does not support the wage law, another milestone of the PNRR, unless it is made transparent, and announced that PSD will hold consultations with employers’ organizations.
He further said that Bolojan’s resignation as interim PM would be “a gesture of good faith.” Finally, Grindeanu noted that USR rejected the solution of a technocratic government. He also mentioned several times that PSD is currently in opposition and that it is not the duty of the Social Democrats to pass any law promoted by the government.
Before the negotiations, PSD had rejected a list of conditions imposed by former coalition partners in exchange for backing a PSD minority government, including keeping the budget deficit within the target agreed with rating agencies, assuming the legislation necessary to access PNRR funds, or unblocking SAFE contracts.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos|George Calin)
