The National Liberal Party of Romania (NLP), led by acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolognese, refused to negotiate a coalition and announced its withdrawal from the opposition after a vote of no confidence in his cabinet.
On May 5, the Romanian parliament voted a vote of no confidence in the government of Bologian.
“In the new political conditions, the NLP adheres to the decisions adopted by its statutory bodies and parliamentary groups, and will remain in opposition, playing an active and constructive role in the interests of citizens and economic stability“, the statement from the party headquarters was quoted by the newspaper “Cotidianul“.
At the same time, the NLP transferred full responsibility for the political crisis to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which “systematically boycotts“ the decisions of the ruling coalition. The right-wing Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (SO), according to the NLP, bears “equal political responsibility“ with the SDP.
The decision to join the opposition was taken after a party meeting and was announced by Bologian. The newspaper notes that the deputy chairmen of the NLP, Catalin Predoiu and Necoleta Pauliuc, who had previously spoken out against joining the opposition, were absent from the announcement. In addition to the NLP, the president's party, the Alliance for the Salvation of Romania, also refused to form a coalition with the PSD and the SO.
A political crisis erupted in the country after the Social Democratic Party (SD) decided on April 20 to withdraw political support for the prime minister and to recall its ministers from the cabinet, expressing disagreement with some government measures and believing that the ruling coalition lacks genuine dialogue between partners.
Until now, Romania has been governed by a heterogeneous ruling coalition consisting of the center-left SD, the center-right National Liberal Party and the Save Romania Union and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. The nationalist Alliance for the Unification of Romanians, considered by many to be extremist, is in opposition.