Ministerial changes and political discussions

Three members of the Government in Bucharest, dominated by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), have tendered their resignation. PSD has already made public their proposals for the positions left vacant

Florentin Căpitănescu, 16.10.2017, 14:54

The Social Democratic Party, the main party in the ruling coalition in Romania, is trying to get over last weeks embarrassing episode as quickly as possible. Hence, it has already found replacement for the three outgoing ministers, namely deputy Prime Minster and Regional Development Minister Sevil Shhaideh, Minister for European Funds Rovana Plumb and Transport Minister Razvan Cuc. The PSD Executive Committee has proposed Paul Stanescu for the Development Ministry, Felix Stroe for the Transport Ministry and Marius Nica for the Ministry of European Funds.

The reshuffle, strongly demanded by PM Mihai Tudose, was carried out after long-running and heated debates within the party. Shhaideh and Plumb left the Government against accusations leveled at them in a corruption case, which, according to the Prime Minister is marring the governments image, while Razvan Cuc was ineffective as minister. According to commentators, the partys heavyweight Liviu Dragnea had to choose between PM Mihai Tudose, one the one hand and Sevil Shhaideh and Rovana Plumb, on the other. Dragnea had major communication problems with PM Tudose, as he himself confessed after the Executive Committees meeting.

On the other hand, Dragneas relation with Sevil Shhaideh has been and continues to be special, as is the PSD leader who propelled her into high-level politics. No wonder Dragnea has even wanted her Prime Minister at a certain point, to only push for her appointment as deputy PM some time later. Political analysts say that Dragnea had no choice but to accept PM Tudoses request, as accepting his resignation as a way out of this situation was not an option.

This can be explained by the fact that, in July, PSD ousted its own cabinet led by Sorin Grindeanu, through a no confidence vote. So it would have been too much for the PSD to propose a third prime minister just a few months later and in less than a year of governing. However, the party will continue to take care of its protégés so Shhaideh will be state councilor while Plumb will be appointed head of the Chamber of Deputies Committee for European Affairs.

On the other hand, the changes operated within the PSD put pressure on the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), a junior partner in the ruling coalition. Their representative, the Minister for the Relation with Parliament, Viorel Ilie, is also investigated in a corruption case. ALDE has so far refused to withdraw him from his post. In its turn, the National Liberal Party (PNL), the main opposition party in Romania, has announced it will file a censure motion against the Tudose Cabinet against the backdrop of the political crisis generated by PSD and of poor economic results.