National Liberal Party-PNL representatives gathered to the Parliament Palace in Bucharest on Friday for a two-day congress focused on the election of a new leadership for the group.

Prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, the incumbent president of the party, has no competition in his effort to retain the position, but about 60 members fight for 30 positions in the political board of the PNL, that includes 15 vice-presidents.

The party will also vote for a change in its statute do eliminate incompatibilities between local and central leadership positions, allowing local branch leaders to run for seats at national level leadership.

PNL is the key member of the governing coalition in Romania along with the Democratic Party-PD. But its leader Tariceanu has faced many challenges over the past year as many members left the group or were ousted for their criticial position towards the PNL leadership.

The dissidents formed a new, “Liberal-Democratic” movement around PNL ex-president Theodor Stolojan, known for his close partnership with Romanian President Traian Basescu.