Reformist USR-PLUS pulls out of Romania's Government

Junior ruling partner, USR-PLUS, decided to pull its ministers out of Romania's Government, thus forcing the senior ruling partner (the Liberal Party, PNL) to either dismiss prime minister Florin Citu and resume genuine negotiations in the view of a new executive team, or keep the Government of PM Citu alive one way or another but face a de-facto no-confidence motion in Parliament within 45 days (the maximum duration of an interim minister).

"We have to use plan B because plan A was the motion of censure [and it failed]. There are two options: either PNL accepts that USR-PLUS is a serious partner for development and we move on with a new prime minister, or PNL chooses an alliance with the Social Democrats [PSD]," USR-PLUS co-president Dan Barna stated, quoted by Hotnews.ro.

Pulling out of the Government was a difficult decision, he said, adding that it is a message that Romania needs.

"After 30 years, there had to come a time in Romania when a party can say 'that's enough," he explained.

The radical decision was announced by USR-PLUS co-president Dan Barna on the evening of September 6, but the ministers were supposed to file their resignations on the morning of September 7.

Although Barna rejected plans to negotiate overnight, this left the Liberals and President Klaus Iohannis the door open for a last-minute change of mind.

President Iohannis blamed USR-PLUS for its no-confidence motion and met over PM Citu during the day of September 6, but he made no statement on the crisis yet.

USR-PLUS took this second radical decision (after the no-confidence motion drafted on Friday, September 3) forced by circumstances: their no-confidence motion lost support from the Social Democrats (PSD) and now it has an uncertain future, even if formally the Parliament can not simply disregard it.

(Photo: Ilona Andrei/ Inquam Photos)