Romanian president continues consultations for new ruling majority

President Nicușor Dan has consultations on Thursday, May 21, at Cotroceni Palace, on the country's economic and political situation with parliamentarians from the United for Romania group, the PACE - Romania First group, and the unaffiliated, according to the Presidency.

The groups, broadly including MPs split from far-right parties such as AUR, POT, and SOS Romania, are seen by the Social Democrats (PSD) as key players in the formation of an uncertain parliamentary majority – as long as president Dan required PSD not to officially bring AUR into a would-be majority.

Together, the three parliamentary groups meeting president Dan on May 21 total 48 MPs, of the Parliament’s 464. Several of them have already announced their interest in participating in building a majority.

President Dan held fruitless consultations with the leaders of PSD, AUR, PNL, USR, UDMR, the Parliamentary Group of National Minorities, SOS Romania, and POT on May 18, in order to designate the candidate for the position of prime minister.

PNL and USR announced to the president when they would enter opposition, AUR requested a mandate to form the government, and PSD stated their two conditions for the future government: without Ilie Bolojan as prime minister and against an alliance outside of pro-Western parties. POT requested a "pro-Western government", while SOS Romania called for the resignation of president Dan.

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)