The leaders of the National Liberal Party-PNL groups in the Senate and the House of Deputies were forced to convene special sessions with their colleagues after an appeal to accept to dissident Liberals back in the party was signed by no less than 35 prominent members.

The two, ex-PNL leaders Teodor Stolojan and Valeriu Stoica, have been ousted from the party for being extremely critical of its current leadership.

Agriculture minister Gheorghe Flutur, nine senators, 20 deputies, two mayors and three heads of PNL county branches have signed the appeal. That prompted PNL Senate leader Puiu Hasotti and House leader Crin Antonescu to intervene in order to calm down the strife.

Both Hasotti and Antonescu are seen as cronies for prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, the PNL president. Tariceanu has been at loggerheads with President Traian Basescu, who is supported by Stolojan, Stoica and a group of other dissidents, in the name of keeping unity between Basescu’s Democrats and Tariceanu’s Liberals.

The two parties form the core of the governing alliance, but have been warring over a long series of issues including their representation in the European Parliament once the two countries join the EU in January next year.