Romania's coalition government collapses

Romania’s coalition government collapsed on Monday after a junior ally quit over government policy.

As a result, the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) no longer hold a parliamentary majority, leaving them susceptible to a confidence vote.

Read more: Romania government crisis deepens

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said in a Facebook post that her party would continue to rule with support from politicians "who have the courage to undertake this process."

However, her leadership is now hanging by a thread following Monday's development, which leaves the PSD 25 seats short of a parliamentary majority. 

Lack of communication

The leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), Calin Popescu Tariceanu, confirmed that the coalition was over due to a loss of faith in Dancila.

"My confidence was badly shaken by a series of measures taken without consulting me," said Tariceanu, a former prime minister himself.

ALDE had held several ministerial posts within the government that Dancila will now seek to fill via an alternative alliance, possibly with the ethnic Hungarian UDMR.

Meanwhile, she has 45 days to ask parliament for a vote of confidence.

Tariceanu pulled out of the coalition two days he lost his bid to become the sole pro-government candidate in a presidential election scheduled for November. The PSD instead picked Dancila, its leader, as challenger to incumbent President Klaus Iohannis.

jsi/tj (Reuters, AFP)

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