The chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Ludovic Orban, has advanced the idea that Liberals will try to induce snap elections after the censure motion, arguing that snap elections would represent the best solution for Romania. However, Orban says that PNL is ready to assume the responsibility of governing, even if the solution of snap elections fails.
“After the censure motion we will try to induce snap elections. Regardless if the option is for a transition government formula, for which a political agreement would be absolutely necessary, containing all political parties, except PSD – because that’s the parliamentary structure – or without, if a political agreement can’t be reached. In order to get to snap elections it’s necessary that two government proposals be rejected by Parliament. (…) With the current structure of Parliament it’s extremely difficult to create a parliamentary majority, that would support a normal government, a decent government,” the PNL chair told Digi 24.
Orban has yet pointed out that the structure of the current Parliament hardly has the ability “to generate a responsible government to carry out substantial reforms.”
“The probability of being able to generate a parliamentary majority that would be favorable to substantial reforms, that would undo all the damage and all the disasters the government after December 2016 has made, is not very high, it’s almost close to zero. In order to generate a government, you need a governing programme that would be endorsed by all those who would join in forming a parliamentary majority. The current Parliament is the result of the vote of December 2016, even if PSD members left since then, went to PRO Romania or to ALDE. The structure of the current Parliament is a structure that, in my opinion, almost does not have the capacity to generate a responsible government which would give a true program to repair the damages in the first phase and restore all economic balances,” Orban said.
Orban added that even though snap elections represent “the best solution for Romania”, the PNL is ready to assume the responsibility of governing right now.
The PNL leader also said that the censure motion will be submitted when 234 signatures are raised.
Ciolos – separate opinion from Barna
PLUS leader, former technocrat PM Dacian Ciolos, currently the USR-PLUS Alliance’s proposal for the premier position, has stated that they are ready to assume ruling, despite the fact his alliance partner, Dan Barna, running for Presidency, has just said that his party will not join a potential new government if the censure motion passes.
“We’ll not go back. We are ready to assume ruling, to govern Romania, to put it on a healthy track”, Ciolos argued, adding that the current Cabinet must not stay in power until the next general elections, due at the end of 2020.
UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor said there are solutions after the head of state had rejected the reshuffle: either the Government’s resignation, or a censure motion and a new government. Yet, Kelemen Hunor opined it must be a political government, not a technocrat one.
On the other hand, sources revealed that Pro Romania’s leader Victor Ponta has conditioned his party’s support for Dancila Government if Viorica Dancila is withdrawing from the presidential race.