Democrats, Social Democrats in talks to join hands in new Romania government

Romania President Traian Basescu admitted on Wednesday that he received Mircea Geoana, the leader of the opposition Social Democrats (PSD), for talks on Tuesday evening but refused to provide any details about the meeting.

The confirmation came shortly after the leader of the Democrats (PD), the main backers of President Basescu, said that a delagation of his own party also met Basescu but said their talks did not overlap with Geoana’s.

According to PSD and PD parliamentary sources, the Geoana-Basescu meeting was aimed at analyzing possible scenarios for a joint PSD-PD government. Rumors of such a partnership have been intensified for the past couple of weeks as the PSD has been threatening to table a motion in the Parliament against the current Liberal-dominated government.

Sources say the idea of a PD-PSD government is supported by Geoana but currently rejected by the Democrats. Another option would be a government dominated by PD with ministers from the fringe Liberal group the Liberal Democrats (PLD), to be supported by the PSD in the Parliament. A third option would be a government of technocrats to be supported by PSD, PD and PLD in the Parliament.

The motion that PSD is expected to table against the Liberal government on Monday needs the support of the PD in order to pass with a majority of votes and thus put an end to the government led by PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu.