Save Romania Union proposes new government

The Prime Minister designate Dacian Cioloş goes in parliament with the proposal of a minority government after the negotiations with their former partners have failed.

Eugen Coroianu, 18.10.2021, 14:00

The leadership of Save Romania Union – USR (the 3rd political force of center-right orientation in the Romanian Parliament) approved, on Sunday evening, the list of a minority government and the governing program that the party leader, Dacian Cioloş, proposes for validation to senators and deputies. He was nominated a week ago by President Klaus Iohannis, as a candidate for the prime minister post, following consultations with political parties. USR, which withdrew from the government coalition which also included the National Liberal Party – PNL and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania — UDMR, accusing insurmountable disagreements with the Liberal Prime Minister Florin Cîțu, who was later dismissed by a no confidence motion, was the only party that proposed a candidate to the president.

Now, Dacian Cioloș goes to Parliament without having formed a majority, neither with the former allies, with whom he held negotiations, nor with the Social Democratic party – PSD, who initiated the motion, or with the nationalists from the Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR who voted for it, but with whom he did not even discuss. The prime minister designate proposes a cabinet that includes USR ministers from the former government, including Stelian Ion as Justice Minister, Ioana Mihăilă as Health Minister or Cătălin Drulă as Transport Minister, as well as new names. In the PM designate’s opinion, a one-color USR government can be a solution to get out of the current political and health crisis.

USR presented a government program with urgent measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, to stop rising energy prices, and to also help SMEs. “We are going in Parliament, to see if we get support for a program to overcome the crisis, a program that Romania needs. I am thinking of what the people expect, not of speculations and other calculations,” Dacian Cioloș said. According to the statements of the other political parties, the validation of such a government has little chance of success: PNL and UDMR do not want to resume cooperation with USR, as the former coalition partner voted a motion against the government which they were part of.

The Liberal Party president, Florin Cîţu, said that the prime minister designate must assume the responsibility of forming a majority with the two opposition parties with which he dismissed the government. PSD recently said, however, that the right decision is to form a government of apolitical specialists that should manage the pandemic and the economy until early elections are held. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians – AUR stated last Monday that the nomination of Dacian Cioloş for the position of prime minister “seems just a political game”, given that “there is no majority to support him”. USR has 80 senators and deputies, and for them to receive support in Parliament, the prime minister designate needs at least 234 favorable votes. (LS)