Romania's junior ruling Liberal party not to side with opposition in no-confidence vote against government

The junior ruling Liberal party PNL will not join the opposition's motion to overthrow the government controlled by the Social Democrats, PNL president and presidential candidate Nicolae Ciuca stated on October 8. He previously blamed the senior ruling partner of authoritarianism.

Nicolae Ciuca has thus turned down the invitation launched by the president of the opposition party USR to overthrow the Executive. He even blamed the opposition USR for the "politicized and frivolous" plot against the executive, G4media.ro reported.

Ciuca said he was "a responsible person" and would stay in office for the two months left until the general elections result in a "legitimate cabinet" in order to prevent the failure of the administrative institutions.

One day earlier, Ciuca announced that the Liberal Party was pulling out of the ruling coalition but staying in government. The announcement puzzled many, but apparently, it failed to take investors by surprise, and it eventually didn't negatively impact the markets.

Following Ciuca's positioning against Social Democrats, Elena Lasconi, the president of the opposition party USR, announced that she was working with her colleagues on drafting a no-confidence motion against the government headed by Social Democrat leader Marcel Ciolacu.

She also urged the Liberals and their president, Nicolae Ciuca, to back USR's action, although the National Liberal Party is part of the Executive.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Sabin Cirstoveanu)