Party decision

USR's political committee decided unanimously on Friday, 16 October, that the party's MPs will vote against the investiture of the PSD-Luca Niculescu government in parliament. The party's statement says the move responds to PSD presenting a return to a governing model built on wasting public money, protecting privileges and blocking reforms as a route to political stability. USR president Dominic Fritz set out the party's reasons the same day. USR said it would remain in opposition and keep watch on the new administration.

Fritz's case against the government

Fritz's objection rests on who would run the cabinet and which parliamentary bloc would keep it in office. He said the country needs a functional government, but not at any price.

“A government that will be run from PSD headquarters and will rely on a toxic majority with AUR cannot have our support.”

Fritz also accused the people who had plundered the country of trying to grow their power and privileges under the new arrangement, and said USR would not endorse a government in which citizens pay the bill. His closing message was a warning to the incoming cabinet.

“I promise you that we will keep an eye on them and on every mess they try to make.”

Fritz said the party would keep working from opposition and build a reformist alliance capable of winning the next elections. The party's written statement closes on the same theme.

“USR will not endorse, through its vote, a return to the practices that blocked the modernisation of Romania.”

The vote ahead

Parliament is due to vote on the government on Tuesday, 20 October, after 14:00, and ministerial hearings begin on Monday, 19 October. If the understanding between Luca Niculescu, PSD, PNL and UDMR is honoured, the cabinet would enter investiture with a comfortable majority of 279 votes. That tally also counts on support from the national minorities, UPR and PACE-Întâi România. The cabinet would be made up of 11 PSD ministers.

How the crisis unfolded

Romania has been in political crisis since 20 April, when PSD withdrew its political support for PNL prime minister Ilie Bolojan. On 23 April, ministers from the party led by Sorin Grindeanu handed in their resignations. On 5 May, a censure motion filed by PSD and AUR passed parliament, and the Bolojan government fell after 11 months in office. Nicușor Dan then made three nominations for prime minister: Eugen Tomac, who withdrew his mandate before the parliamentary vote, Adrian Veștea, whose government was rejected, and Siegfried Mureșan, whose government also fell in a parliamentary vote. On 5 October, Nicușor Dan designated Luca Niculescu as the fourth prime minister nominated in this crisis.