Romania is likely to remain under a caretaker government led by interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan for more than a month, according to Digi24, which cited sources familiar with the plans of president Nicușor Dan.

The report suggests the head of state no longer expects a rapid resolution to the political crisis triggered by the successful no-confidence motion against the Bolojan cabinet on May 5. Before the parliamentary vote, Dan had estimated that political uncertainty could last one to two weeks, but afterwards reportedly extended the expected timeline for political normalisation to a “reasonable period of time”.

According to the cited sources, the president is currently prioritising preparations for the upcoming Bucharest Nine Summit, which Romania will host later this month. 

The report said president Dan wishes to avoid a further escalation of tensions among the parties that formed the previous ruling coalition and is attempting to preserve a degree of political dialogue despite the collapse of the government.

“President Nicușor Dan will meet not only with the party presidents, but also with other leaders from the parties that made up the governing coalition. The head of state is looking for a solution for the future Government, but he does not believe that it can be formed in the coming days,” the sources told Digi24.

Notably, the Social Democrats (PSD) and, reportedly, president Dan expected leaders of the Liberal Party (PNL), other than prime minister Ilie Bolojan, dismissed by a motion co-authored by PSD, to return as partners in a pro-European coalition without their leader Bolojan – a scenario not likely at this moment, after both PNL and reformist USR refused to cooperate in the future with PSD. The president's temporisation and the appeal to "other leaders" in the former ruling partners may indicate that such pressures will continue.

According to the broadcaster, the president’s attention in the coming period will focus primarily on international affairs, while efforts to resolve the domestic political crisis are expected to intensify only after May 13.

So far, President Dan has announced only informal consultations with the parties that previously formed the governing coalition - the Social Democratic Party, National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, and the representatives of national minorities.

“We are starting negotiations to form a new government. I will start with informal consultations, and when the options crystallise, we will hold formal consultations,” president Dan said on May 5 after Parliament voted to dismiss the Bolojan cabinet.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)