Romania: bid to form new government fails
Attempts to form a new government in Romania have failed after the parliament rejected Adrian Veștea, the candidate nominated by President Nicușor Dan for the post of Prime Minister. The previous Liberal government, led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, was ousted at the end of May following a vote of no confidence put forward by the PSD – until then part of the coalition government – together the far-right AUR.
Crisis nowhere near over
The population can count itself lucky that this cabinet has failed, agribusiness entrepreneur Mihai Răzvan Moraru explains on republica.ro:
“Because this government consisted of weak politicians who were susceptible to blackmail and incapable of leading the country through these turbulent times. It would have rammed us even tighter into a corner, and a majority formed around Veștea would have undermined any reform within the parties, not to mention the country itself. ... There have been so many disappointments in recent days, and they will continue to pile up. We are in the midst of a political crisis, and financially too, things are looking very precarious. We have a very long way to go before we are out of the woods.”
Setting the house on fire
In Adevărul, anthropologist Gabriel Horia Nasra speculates on what might happen next:
“People's fear of a snap election leaves only two other serious options. The first would be a [Social Democratic] PSD minority government, which would have to be elected in parliament with the support of the [National Liberal] PNL. ... In other words, the very party that the PSD has just been trying to humiliate and sideline. The second option is a minority government comprising the PNL, USR and UDMR, with a prime minister who once again comes from the PNL and is supported by the outgoing prime minister, Ilie Bolojan. ... So, after weeks of betrayals, phone calls and intrigues, the outcome is nothing less than spectacular: the house was set on fire to get rid of Bolojan and now they're calling on Bolojan to be the fire fighter who brings the hose and water buckets.”
President on shaky ground
Journalist Cristian Pantazi describes the Romanian President's shortcomings on the G4Media website:
“Nicușor Dan has shown that he understands very little about politics. The two candidates he nominated, Eugen Tomac and Adrian Veștea, were unrealistic choices from the outset. He also failed to see that he would trigger a boomerang effect when he appointed Veștea without consulting the leadership of his PNL party. … If Dan had even a inkling of self-preservation instinct, he would immediately distance himself from all those who have advised or manipulated him until now. He is also putting his reputation in foreign policy at risk. His EU partners are already puzzled by his erratic behaviour. In short: it's unclear whether Nicușor Dan is still fit for office.”
Flirting with the far right
The Romanian president has been compromised, according to Krónika:
“It's clear that Nicușor Dan has been hardest hit by the recent political turmoil. Aside from his endless political errors and embarrassing displays of indecision, the Romanian head of state has also crossed his own red lines. Despite having stated on several occasions that he would not accept a government majority in which the AUR - which he regards as hostile to the West and to Europe - was involved, or which had come about with AUR's support, he still turned a blind eye to the fact that his puppet [and designated Prime Ministerial Veștea] was courting this ultra-nationalist party.”