Romanian president Nicuşor Dan said during a press conference in Poland that “it is important to have a government as soon as possible, preferably by next Tuesday (June 20).”

This is because of the tight calendar of the recovery and resilience plan PNRR, with the reforms having to be met by the end of August, and also because the Parliament enters summer recess on July 1, he said.

However, the negotiations between the centrist parties, expected to come up with a protocol based on the key national agenda (PNRR, OECD accession, SAFE program, fiscal consolidation) and a minority Government, have reportedly lost momentum.

Nicuşor Dan mentioned that he expects the parties to come up with a majority.

"I expect the parties to come to me with a majority. I think that after two months, all of us, the citizens, in this country, can expect a majority proposal from the political parties. (..) From public statements, the solution that was expected was a minority government solution, supported by a majority," the president explained, quoted by News.ro.

Asked if he expected the parties to come up with a single prime minister, Nicuşor Dan replied: "I expect responsibility. After two months, majority solutions."

In the meantime, the centrist parties expected to come up with a majority failed to reach an agreement and are far from a protocol.

After the Social Democratic Party (PSD) proposed its president, Sorin Grindeanu, for the prime minister seat, the Liberal Party (PNL) said it would decide on a nomination on the part of the PNL-USR-UDMR coalition only after consultations with president Dan.

Furthermore, the reformist USR increasingly advocated for a new rotational agreement, with the PNL-USR-UDMR taking the prime ministership until mid-2027 to pass it to Social Democrats for the final year before the parliamentary elections (autumn 2028). The idea was not openly backed by Liberals, and PSD’s Grindeanu openly criticised it.

By its maximalist demands, including full control over the ruling strategy and his cabinet, Sorin Grindeanu is seen by some as attempting to jeopardise his candidacy for the prime minister post, which he has not claimed after overthrowing Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on May 5. A conflict with USR on the rotational mechanism proposed by the latter may serve the same purpose. USR refused to vote for a minority PSD government, but the centrist coalition would have enough support in Parliament without USR.

The first meeting of the would-be post-motion coalition had a tense ending, HotNews concluded. Sources familiar with the negotiations speak of a total deadlock on the day when the announcement regarding the agreement for governance was expected, either a minority and single-colour PSD executive, or a minority government of PNL - UDMR - USR.

(Photo: Presidency.ro)

iulian@romania-insider.com