The Fall of the Grindeanu Cabinet

Parliament passed a motion to censure the government headed by Sorin Grindeanu

Corina Cristea, 22.06.2017, 13:15

In what remains a first for the Parliament of Romania, the ruling coalition Wednesday dismissed its own Government through a no-confidence motion. The only members of the executive team to oppose the move were PM Sorin Grindeanu, the Government secretary General Victor Ponta, and the Communications Minister, Augustin Jianu.

The opposition parties chose not to get involved in the domestic conflict within the Social Democratic Party, whereas the parliamentary group representing the ethnic minorities in Romania, a group that always supports the Power, left it to each of its members to decide how they would vote. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the Save Romania Union refrained from voting. A total number of 241 MPs voted in favour of the motion, 8 more than the law required.

A Social Democrat for more than 20 years, Sorin Grindeanu became a persona non-grata within 6 months since becoming Prime Minister. The president of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, argues that by removing Grindeanu the party intended to dismiss a Cabinet that failed to implement the governing programme and the campaign promises thanks to which the Social Democrats won the general elections in December 2016. Further to a party-run assessment, the Social Democrats withdrew their political support for Sorin Grindeanu, on grounds that he failed to implement the required economic reforms.

The PM denied the accusation and refused to step down, thus forcing the party that nominated him to office to resort to a motion to censure. After the no-confidence vote in Parliament, Sorin Grindeanu pleaded for unity in the Social Democratic Party, and said he would continue his work until Parliament endorses a new Cabinet:

Sorin Grindeanu: “What matters now is for us to overcome this deadlock and to convince investors and the international community that Romania remains a stable and predictable country.

According to Liviu Dragnea, the party has come out stronger from this political move. He added that in the consultations that President Klaus Iohannis will have on Monday with the parliamentary parties, the Social Democrats would nominate a person able to ensure the meeting of the goals in the governing programme.

Liviu Dragnea: “Romania has returned to normality and to the boundaries defined by the Constitution. It was a political action for which the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats took responsibility. We do not want to see an ambitious governing programme jeopardised.

The Liberal Democrat leader Călin Popescu Tăriceanu said the no-confidence vote proves that the parliamentary majority is efficient.

In Opposition, the National Liberal Party did not take part in the vote and emphasised that all accusations made against Sorin Grindeanu are valid for the two parties in the ruling coalition, which, the Liberals claim, are incapable of governing in a modern, European style. Here is the new president of the National Liberal Party, Ludovic Orban:

Ludovic Orban: “On Monday we will have a meeting of the National Political Bureau together with the floor groups, to decide on the strategy of the Liberal party. Only when all the Social Democrats are sent home, will things return to normal in Romania.

The same opinion is shared by the leader of the Peoples Movement Party, Traian Băsescu:

Traian Băsescu: “The Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats have proved they are unable to govern. Which is why this parliamentary majority actually belongs in the Opposition.

(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)