President Iohannis, Liberals push for creation of new executive after fall of Dancila Govt

Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis was pushing for the quick creation of a new government after the dismissal of the Social Democratic government of Viorica Dancila last week, with a new round of talks on Monday. Both he and the National Liberal Party (PNL), which has been the biggest opposition party, said they favored a PNL-based government, with PNL leader Ludovic Orban as prime minister.

As Dancila’s government was dismissed by means of censure motion last Thursday, Iohannis said he wanted to announce a new prime minister by Monday or Tuesday the latest, who would then pick a transition government. He said it was clear talks were moving towards a PNL-based government.

The second biggest opposition party, USR, announced on Monday the four terms for their support to a PNL government:

• changes to the electoral law so that mayors are elected in two round
• a vote for an USR initiative, supported by over 1 million citizens, that would prevent people who have received criminal sentences from holding public office
• consulting the Parliament over a future proposal for Romania’s representative in the European Commission
• Removing a legal provision which allowed over 20,000 criminals, many of whom sentenced for acts of violence, be freed from penitentiaries

USR and other opposition parties – ALDE, Pro Romania and UDMR already announced they were not interested in joining a government. But they issued their own terms for supporting a PNL government:

• The Hungarian Democrats (UDMR) want changes to the electoral law so that mayors are voted in two rounds instead of one. They also said they would support a government which would exclude Liberals who have attacked UDMR
• ALDE said they would support a PNL government should it comply with certain economic conditions such as retaining a flat tax and push for big investments in infrastructure
• The small PMP party did not exclude joining the government, but said it wanted at least two ministries.

The Liberals have considering a government with a lower number of ministries – 15 or 16. Some of the current ministries would be brought together under one umbrella, others would be dismantled.

• Liberal sources have told HotNews.ro the party was considering bringing together the Foreign Ministry, the European Affairs Ministry and the Ministry for Romanians living abroad. Research and Innovation and the Youth and Sports ministries would be brought under the umbrela of the Education Ministry. And the Economy Ministry would be brought together with those for the Business Environment and Tourism, while the Finance Ministry would take over control of key energy companies Transgaz and Transelectrica from the Energy Ministry.