New, Liberal Romanian PM Ludovic Orban claimed on Thursday he was a "simple man" with an "austere" living to explain how he managed to live on little more than 3,000 lei (some 650 euro ) per month last year, while his wife did not state any income at all. He made the statement after the figures appeared in the wealth statement he has submitted.
The leadership of Romania's biggest party, the Social Democrats (PSD), was dissolved late on Tuesday and an interim leader is taking over, sources told HotNews.ro as PSD bosses met in a special session. The news was later confirmed officially.
Camps are shaping up in a battle for power within Romania's biggest political party, the Social Democrats (PSD), in wake of the defeat suffered by their candidate, party president and ex-PM, in presidential elections on Sunday. In statements made on Monday morning, an influential member of the PSD leadership openly invoked the need of a resignation.
The custom of the biggest political party in post-Communist Romania, the Social Democrats -PSD, long seen as inheritors of the former Communists - is to remove their leader following a defeat in presidential elections. On Sunday night, as PSD's candidate Viorica Dancila suffered a significant defeat against incumbent, Liberal president Klaus Iohannis in presidential elections, knives were sharpening again within the party.
Dan Barna, the leader of Save Romania Union (USR), the third biggest party in the Parliament, was re-elected as head of the political group despite a serious defeat in the first round of presidential elections.
Preparations were ongoing on Monday for what appears to be the most important electoral event prior to presidential elections due to take place this weekend: a debate that incumbent President and top contender Klaus Iohannis will hold on Tuesday with political experts and journalists, but in the absence of his challenger, Social Democratic leader Viorica Dancila.
A refusal by President Klaus Iohannis to face his challenger in the second round of Romania's presidential elections has caused widespread discussion about his (non)democratic behaviour. But in a meeting with the press on Wednesday, he made the debate even more complicated by explaining he refused to discuss with and thus legitimise someone who represents an un democratic party.
Romania's former Justice minister Ana Birchall, who served in the last Social Democratic (PSD) government, was ousted from the PSD in a party leadership session on Tuesday night. The session was marked by scandal but key members appeared later to have regrouped behind PSD leader Viorica Dancila, who is due to face incumbent President Klaus Iohannis in the final round of presidential elections later this month.
Incumbent president Klaus Iohannis has been facing increasing pressure over his refusal to meet challenger Viorica Dancila in a debate prior to the second round of presidential elections. Iohannis, who rejected all offers to confront other candidates prior to the second round, said he saw no point in a debate versus Dancila this time around either.
- UPDATE Later on Tuesday, President Iohannis resisted pressure by writing in a Facebook post that there could be no debate with the candidate of a party which "has governed against the Romanian people for 3 years". He said he was ready for dialogue with citizens, journalists and the civil society.
The major political camps started preparations for the final round of presidential elections after results in the Sunday first round showed a clear victory for incumbent Klaus Iohannis, who would face ex-PM, Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Viorica Dancila. Third placed candidate Dan Barna has publicly announced his support for Iohannis.
The newly appointed Liberal government of PM Ludovic Orban has approved a major re-organisation of its central apparatus. Several ministries are dismantled as their activities are absorbed by other ministries, while the General Secretariat of the Government becomes a super-structure and is due to take over control over key state companies.
The members of the new Liberal government were taking over their jobs on Tuesday, a day after the team of ministers led by PM Ludovic Orban were sworn in on Monday.
The governmental team put up by Liberal (PNL) leader Ludovic Orban in the wake of the dismissal of Social Democratic (PSD) government of Viorica Dancila faces the vote of parliament approval on Monday. The PNL government needs 233 votes and a minimum number of MPs to be present for the vote, which can prove difficult. But Orban is optimistic and claims his team would get between 237-243 votes.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is a clear favorite in the upcoming presidential elections where he seeks a new term in office, a poll says. The poll, delivered by IMAS institute and quoted by Europa FM channel, places outsider Mircea Diaconu second in voter preferences.
"I like whores, but not in politics," said Romanian Finance minister Eugen Teodorovici during parliamentary hearings on Tuesday of the man who is nominated to replace him in a future Liberal government.
The Romanian Parliament is expected to vote on the new government tabled by nominated PM Ludovic Orban on November 4, it was decided on Monday.
Romanian PM Viorica Dancila is dropping her plans to increase the average minimum salary, as her government has announced recently. The plan was initially pursued despite the Parliament had passed a censure motion to dismiss Dancila's Social Democratic (PSD) government, which is now serving with limited powers.
Romania's designated PM Ludovic Orban submits his government program and list of ministers in Parliament on Thursday, after it is validated by President Iohannis. Orban concluded on Wednesday negotiations with other political parties to support his Liberal (PNL) government.
The leader of Romania's Liberal (PNL) party, who has been picked by the President to form a new government, said after political talks on Tuesday that he made serious steps forward to secure parliamentary support for his team. The leader of another key opposition party, USR, also said his group was ready to support a PNL government.
The leader of Romania's Liberal party PNL is heading into the latest round of negotiations with other parties for parliamentary support for a new government, in the wake of the censure motion earlier this month that led to the dismissal of the Social Democratic (PSD) government. PNL leader Ludovic Orban is expected to submit a list of ministers and a governing program in Parliament after talks due Tuesday and Wednesday.