Influential Social Democrat regional leader hints at his party pulling out of ruling coalition in Romania

The Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and an influential regional leader of the party, Paul Stănescu, reportedly said at the party leadership meeting on September 1 that "it is only a matter of time" until the Social Democrats leave the government, according to Digi24.

"It is only a matter of time until the PSD leaves the government. [W]e will have to make a radical decision," said Stănescu, hinting at the ruling coalition's decisions that, according to him, are against the position of his party.

In his turn, the party's interim leader, Sorin Grindeanu, toned down such plans to leave the ruling coalition, arguing that decisions of this magnitude are taken only after broad consultation of the party, as was the case when the Social Democrats decided to join the ruling coalition.

The disagreement seems to reflect internal competition ahead of the elections in the Social Democratic Party and, to a lesser extent, the tensions, although real, within the ruling coalition.

Speaking about plans to leave the ruling coalition, Grindeanu said, "For now, there is no such thing."

"Please ask him [about leaving the coalition]. Since we, almost 5 thousand people [party regional leadership], decided to be part of this governing coalition, it is the same leadership that makes such decisions, if there will be changes. For now, there is no such thing," Sorin Grindeanu said at the end of the party meeting, after initially trying to avoid questions regarding Paul Stănescu's statement.

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