Romanian PM Ludovic Orban agreement with president on early general elections

Romanian Liberal PM Ludovic Orban, who is forced to govern without a clear majority in a Parliament dominated by Social Democrats, is moving towards early elections. He said on Friday he and President Klaus Iohannis have convened to organise early elections, which both see as the best solution for Romania.

For early elections to take place, either the PM resigns or the government fails a censure motion. Ludovic Orban said he would not reveal the strategy moving on as all he could say for the moment was an agreement was reached on the „best solution” of early polls.

He said a decision would be made depending on how events unfurl on the political stage. He said the early elections would be best to take place when local elections would be organised this year.

Orban said the people showed in European elections, presidential elections and a referendum last year that they did not want the Social Democrats (PSD) – who have governed since 2016 until late 2019 – in power, while the PSD remained dominant in the Parliament.

In reaction to Orban’s announcement, PSD interim leader Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday he did not see „where the crisis is” to call for such polls. He said he could not see who would undertake „a crisis in the current international circumstances, not only in the domestic framework”.

Ciolacu pointed out that early elections could only be organised a few of months in advance of a proper parliamentary poll – which would be expected later this year – would take place.