President Klaus Iohannis has had a press statement about two hours after the PSD’s censure motion had been voted and the Orban Cabinet had been toppled down.
His statements:
- I think it is time to think a little bit what we have at this point on the political stage.
- We see a Liberal government that is coming very enthusiastically on a positive popular wave, which wants to come up with measures for Romania, with projects for highways, hospitals.
- A government that wants to make Romania normal again.
- On the other side, we have a PSD majority, which is obviously opposing all these attempts to improve the ruling.
- If we follow the political speech, the government wants reforms, wants to change things for the better, to repair mistakes, on the other hand, there is PSD that is opposing all these reforms.
- Because of this PSD the government will not be able to continue the reform it started.
- The situation was expected.
- Romanians want something else, want PSD in the opposition, but the red barons want to seize the public funds again and today there were enough of them who voted the motion on a law that could have improved the democracy at local elections.
- Now, Romanians are wondering: what’s next?
- Things are moving on. The institutions are solid, the government will remain in office, with less attributions though, but it’s not the case to believe now that we are in a dead-end or complicated situation.
- The institutions will work, I can guarantee for that.
- Certain political steps are needed, I will summon the parties for consultations, starting tomorrow at 12:00hrs. I will probably announce the person nominated as PM to form the new government by tomorrow evening.
- How will the governmental policy continue? I was and I am a supporter of early elections. I want to follow a logic that leads to early elections.
- If I see the parties don’t want that, then I will further insist for a reforming government to be voted, designed by and around PNL, I want to be very clear about that.
- In my view, it is inadmissible to waste time because there is PSD that doesn’t want reforms. It rather stays in opposition, to turn into a democratic and European party.
- At this moment, the fairest solution is to turn back to polls. We must have parliamentary elections in order to have majority in Parliament.
- We have parties that are democratically shaped, which want to get involved, to be at the Romanians’ disposal.
- I will personally get involved to build a solid majority after elections, which should come with deep reforms to the Romanians’ benefit.
- Until then the first step to early elections has been made, the next step will be taken tomorrow.
Consultation timeline
12:00hrs – National Liberal Party (PNL);
12:45hrs –Social Democratic Party (PSD);
13:30hrs – Union Save Romania (USR);
14:15hrs – Democratic Union of Magyars in Romania (UDMR);
15:00hrs – People’s Movement Party (PMP);
15:45hrs – Liberals and Democrats Alliance Party (ALDE);
16:30hrs – Pro Romania parliamentary group
17:15hrs – parliamentary group of national minorities.