The left-of-center Government in
Bucharest on Tuesday survived the no-confidence motion submitted by the
right-wing opposition, despite facing obvious difficulties. The
Social-Democratic Party, the main ruling-coalition party, grabbed only 22% in
the European Parliament election of May 26, with 0.5% less than the main opposition
party, the National Liberal Party, and very close to another opposition party,
the Save Romania Union-PLUS Alliance. The Social-Democrats’ junior coalition
partners, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, failed to meet the 5%
election threshold. Adding to the poor result was the imprisonment of the
Social-Democrat strongman Liviu Dragnea, who got a three year and a half prison
sentence for corruption.
All this time Social-Democrat MPs continued to leave
the party and join the newly-founded Pro Romania Party, led by their former
Social-Democrat leader, Victor Ponta. Still, the Government led by
Social-Democrat interim leader Viorica Dancila remains in power, after
Parliament voted against the no-confidence motion on Tuesday. The document
grabbed only 200 votes of the 233 necessary in order to pass. While the
initiators of the motion, the National Liberal Party, the Save Romania Union,
the People’s Movement Party and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in
Romania, have accused the Government of mounting a relentless attack on the
judiciary and destabilizing the economy, Government officials expressed doubt
with the opposition’s willingness to take over the Government at this time.
Liberal leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Raluca Turcan, says the opposition
has the capacity of taking over and that the no-confidence vote reflects the
result of the May 26 ballot.
We can organize a
Government that should conduct feasibility studies legally and start motorway
construction works. We could also introduce postal voting for Romanians in the
Diaspora and correct the legislation in the justice system.
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila in
turn reiterated her determination to see through her mandate, arguing economic
indicators are evidence in favor of the Government’s effective policies.
It is obvious you have
no alternative to the Government. Do you really want to change this Government
before the upcoming election? I know you don’t. You have provided no concrete
solution for the functioning of the economy in the interest of citizens.
Political pundits in turn say
chances are the opposition won’t take over the power at this time, for various
reasons. For once, the left-wing’s excessively generous social policies will produce
effects soon, which will need correction. On the other hand, the public system
is now filled with associates of the ruling coalition, who threaten to sabotage
any non-affiliated Government. Pundits agree, however, that political parties
will resume their confrontation in autumn, ahead of the presidential election.