Opposition tables no-confidence motion

The Government of Romania is facing a no-confidence motion in Parliament.

Bogdan Matei, 21.11.2017, 13:32

Sworn in at the end of June, the Social Democrat Mihai Tudoses cabinet is already faced with a no-confidence motion initiated by the right-wing opposition. The authors criticise the ruling coalition, made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, for the gap between the generous promises that won them the parliamentary election in December 2016 by some 45% of the votes, and the current inconsistent and chaotic governmental policies, which, the opposition says, have disrupted the course of the national economy and society as a whole. The changes operated on the tax code, particularly the switch of social security payments from employers to employees and the reduction of income taxes from 16 to 10% as of January 1, 2018, will have devastating effects on an economy that all statistics currently describe as being on an upward trend.

Signed by 148 MPs, members of the National Liberal Party, Save Romania Union, Peoples Movement Party, as well as non-affiliated, and tabled on Friday, the motion was read on Monday in a plenary meeting by the Liberal Deputy Dan Valceanu, in the absence of the powers MPs and of the prime minister.

Dan Valceanu: “Dare believe, leaders of the governmental coalition, that while you have promised improved living standards, in fact peoples spending power is falling in spite of the economic growth. The inflation rate has gone up 13 times since the beginning of the year, from 0.2% to 2.6%, and is more than double the figure you promised in your election campaign.

PM Tudose says the debates occasioned by the no-confidence motion would actually be an opportunity for his team to present its accomplishments. He promised the 2018 state budget law would be finalised in a short while, and local administration units would have their revenues secured, so that there would be no reason to increase taxes.

Mihai Tudose: “No town hall, no administrative unit will see its budget reduced, everybody will have at least the same budget as in 2017. We have had talks and negotiations with the business community, from small companies to large ones. Employers risk losing their employees unless they implement the tax code changes and increase the salaries of their staff.

The Senate Speaker and leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Romania, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, announced that Parliament leaders would convene by the end of the week to set a date for the vote on the no-confidence motion.

Commentators are rather sceptical that the motion will pass, given that the ruling coalition has a comfortable majority in Parliament. In their opinion, even if the governments policies have sparked criticism not only among trade unions, employers, and civil society, but also among the governmental majority, the Social Democrats and Liberal Democrats party discipline will not allow for any unwanted surprises for the Tudose cabinet.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)