Romanian ruling coalition tries to change head of Senate before attempting presidential impeachement

Romania's ruling coalition the Social Liberal Union (USL) called for an extraordinary Senate meeting on Tuesday afternoon in order to discuss the dismissal of the Senate president Vasile Blaga, the newly elected leader of opposition party, the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL).

However, the president of the Senate is the only one who can call an extraordinary meeting of the Parliament Chamber, according to its regulations. Seven members of the permanent bureau of the Senate voted in favor of the move, in a meeting which was not attended by PDL members. The President of the Senate is the second most important person in the country, after the president. Commentators say this is part of the USL's plan to impeach president Traian Basescu. If Basescu is impeached, the Senate President will become interim president of the country. The Romanian Chamber of Deputies recently adopted a draft law amending the legal ramifications of presidential impeachment, by a majority vote of those present at the polls. President Traian Basescu was suspended in 2007 for a month, but was reinstated after a referendum. editor@romania-insider.com