“We have tried to provide stability to the country, but we cannot do so as long as socialists irresponsibly associate with extremists while continuing to pretend that they are pro-European,” Muresan said after the vote. “It is now up to the president to act. He can either call early elections or propose a new prime minister,” he added.
But Dan does not want to dissolve Parliament for a national vote that would likely benefit the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), currently leading in the polls. He wants feuding political leaders to put aside their differences and reach a deal to support a new coalition.
“Politicians must look to those who gave them their mandate,” Dan said during a visit to the Czech Republic ahead of parliament’s vote on Wednesday. “When an overwhelming majority of Romanians say that this crisis must end, there is a good chance that politicians will be convinced to reach an agreement.”
On the eastern border of the European Union, Romania is a key NATO member and home to one of the alliance’s largest military bases. This country of 19 million people played an important role in supporting Ukraine and therefore came under pressure from Russia.
The current political crisis erupted in the spring when the PSD joined forces with the AUR to topple the coalition of liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, in protest against his leadership and deep spending cuts intended to bring a growing budget deficit under control.
In the months since, the president has nominated three people to replace Bolojan – one withdrew before coming to Parliament to gain support from the majority of lawmakers and two have now been formally rejected in parliamentary votes.
Gn world
