President Klaus Iohannis has designated the Social-Democrat MEP Viorica Dancila as Romania's new Prime Minister, the third nominated by the ruling coalition within less than a year
Viorica Dancila is the first woman designated to form a Government in Romania. President Klaus Iohannis has accepted the proposal put forward by the ruling coalition, made up of the Social-Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, and entrusted Viorica Dancila with this task. Expecting public disgruntlement, the President motivated his choice, arguing that both the Constitution and coalition's majority in Parliament dictated to accept the nomination. The President insisted on pointing out that the Social-Democrats need to start putting in some work, especially after the failure of two consecutive governments within a single year.
Klaus Iohannis: "Romanians have high expectations and so do I. The Social-Democrats have promised a great many things in the election campaign, salaries, pensions, new schools, new textbooks, hospitals, infrastructure, and what they have achieved so far is too little. It's time the Social-Democrats proved they are willing to keep their promises".
Visibly pleased, the Social-Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea has stated the President chose stability. Dragnea has reiterated that the Government will serve citizens' interests, a promise the opposition claims the ruling coalition is yet to keep. Liviu Dragnea:
"The Social-Democratic Party will govern jointly with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, based on the mandate obtained through popular vote, in order to fulfill its governing program and meet Romanians' great expectations. I want to congratulate Viorica Dancila for her appointment. I believe in her, she is a decent, gratifying and highly competent woman".
The Prime Minister Designate has stated she will seek to implement the measures that earned the Social-Democrats the majority in Parliament, highlighting her priorities. Viorica Dancila:
"For us it is paramount to give 2018 the importance it deserves, given that this year we celebrate 100 years since the Great Union, and we also have to prepare for taking over the presidency of the European Union Council on January 1, 2019".
Commonly seen by the opposition as the last defense against the Social Democrats' strive to restructure state institutions, particularly the judiciary, the President has been harshly criticized in social media, mostly because he gave up without a fight, nominating a Prime Minister who's done little to recommend her for the job, save her loyalty for Liviu Dragnea. Also expressing disappointment were the group of protesters who've militated against the adoption of the justice laws. On a social networking site, they have labeled the president's nomination as an unacceptable gesture of complicity with the Social-Democrats. Some NGO members have even staged a protest in front of the presidency building.
The right-wing opposition has pleaded for early elections, in turn arguing that the Social-Democrats did not deserve another Government, after triggering two political crises by toppling its own governments. There are also less scathing commentators who say the president did not have any other choice, arguing that Klaus Iohannis is not to blame for the low turnout in last year's legislative elections, which the Social-Democrats won by a landslide. Moreover, the same commentators note that the right-wing opposition is incapable of building a workable alternative to the current ruling coalition. (Traslated by Vlad Palcu)
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