Rival factions within Romanian reformist party USR face decisive encounter

Four months after he was elected as president of the Romanian reformist party USR (previously USR-PLUS), Dacian Ciolos is attempting to regain his power apparently seized by the leading body (National Bureau) headed by his rival Dan Barna.

Ciolos said he could resign unless the party’s leading body, largely controlled by Barna, endorses his proposals - visibly aimed at diluting his rival’s power.

The two co-chairmen of the USR-PLUS alliance, meanwhile merged into the USR party, have never abandoned their fight for power. Former USR president Dan Barna may have lost the internal elections, but his team is now in control of the leading bodies, including the National Bureau and the Bureau’s initiative “USR-PLUS at rule 2024” - a project that aims among others to come up with a Shadow Government ready to generate members of the Government at any time particularly after the next 2024 general elections.

A non-biased source within the party is quoted by Andrea Pora in an analysis published by Radio Free Europe as explaining that this shadow government is at the core of the conflict between the two.

While Barna reportedly aims to prepare his allies for the seats his party could potentially get in 2024, Dacian Ciolos seeks to prevent this. Namely, high on the list of proposals promoted by Ciolos is the formation of a 50:50 body with representatives of the party and civic society for the design of the Shadow Government and its ruling strategy.

(Photo: Alianta USR PLUS Facebook Page)