Political negotiations to form a broad coalition government in Romania continue, BNR reported.
Today, a leadership meeting of the four pro-European formations, which are expected to be part of the cabinet, will be held in the parliament – The Social Democratic Party of Prime Minister Marcel Çolaku, their governing partners from the National Liberal Party, the center-right “Union for the Salvation of Romania” with leader Elena Laskoni, who qualified for the presidential runoff, and the Democratic Union of Hungarians.
The leadership meeting comes after the fruitless negotiations between Elena Lasconi and Marcel Çolaku, who yesterday in the parliament discussed the idea of forming a 4-party cabinet from the pro-European forces, aiming to isolate the three nationalist parties in the parliament from power – "Alliance for the Unification of Romanians", SOS and POT party. They have a combined support of just over 30%.
After the talks, Cholaku published a post on Facebook in which he explained that he and Lasconi had discussed, quote, “a pro-European parliamentary majority so that we can achieve a government that supports the same values.“ However, the publication did not mention whether the Social Democrats are for or against the idea and whether they will support Lasconi in Sunday's run-off. Such support has already been refused by Çolaku, stating that his party will not stand behind any of the candidates and Romanians should decide for themselves who to vote for.
Elena Lasconi's proposal to form a broad pro-European government received the support of the liberals and the formation of the Hungarian minority. Both parties also backed Lasconi's candidacy for this Sunday's run-off, when she will face pro-Russian nationalist Kaln Georgescu. The result of the second round will be decisive for the negotiations on the formation of a cabinet, because according to the Constitution, the president is the one who designates who will be prime minister.