Daily Times

Romania’s parliament has toppled the nine-month-old minority government of Prime Minister Florin Citu in a vote of no confidence, deepening a continuing political crisis. The motion on Tuesday was filed by the opposition Social Democrat Party (PSD) and supported by former coalition partner USR-Plus, and the far-right AUR party. It passed with 281 votes; only 234 were needed.

Romania, one of the European Union’s poorest member states, has been locked in a political impasse for a month, threatening its economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to reduce large twin deficits.

Citu, leader of the National Liberal Party, will stay on as caretaker prime minister until a new prime minister wins parliament’s confidence.

His coalition unravelled last month after the centrist USR, a relatively new grouping, withdrew its ministers in a dispute about a regional development fund, stripping him of a parliamentary majority. USR then filed a no-confidence motion, refusing to return to the government until Citu was toppled. President Klaus Iohannis called on political parties to hold consultations next week on forming a new government before he nominates a new prime minister, most likely from the ranks of his ally, Citu’s centrist Liberal Party.

“Romania must be governed. We are in a pandemic, an energy price crisis … and now a political crisis. We need more than ever a mature [political] stance,” Iohannis told reporters.

“To give parties more time to come up with a solution, I will call for consultations only next week.”