Romania’s Liberals go ahead with minority cabinet despite lack of support

Romania’s Liberal Party (PNL) and prime minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca are heading towards the second failed prime minister nomination after deciding to come up with a minority cabinet in front of the lawmakers. They are running out of time, as Ciuca was designated to form a new Government on October 21, and by the Constitution, he should show up in front of the Parliament within ten days.

Both the Social Democrats (PSD) and reformist USR made clear that they wouldn’t give their votes for such a minority cabinet headed by Nicolae Ciuca.

The Social Democrats said they would support a Government of technocrats if it included their requirements in the ruling strategy - an offer that was reportedly refused, G4media.ro reported.

Liberal Party representatives held a last round of talks with President Klaus Iohannis and junior ruling party UDMR on the night of October 28 before nominating the ministers in the would-be cabinet of Nicolae Ciuca.

President Iohannis will not be able to dissolve the Parliament sooner than 60 days after the first PM-designate (USR’s president Dacian Ciolos) was rejected by lawmakers on October 20. In the meantime, Iohannis can still begin genuine mediations and come up with a reasonable PM candidate.

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