But the risk of refusing to call an election is that the president’s opponents in the AUR and other parties are already threatening to try to impeach him – an option that some believe will gain more support as the crisis continues.
Meanwhile, for the country of 19 million on the eastern border of the EU, time is running out. Bucharest is under pressure to reduce its high budget deficit and meet key economic reform targets by the end of August to secure around €11 billion in EU funding.
Credit rating agencies are also watching, amid fears that political uncertainty could lead to a major downgrade in the country’s rating.
Adding to the pressure is the planned summer recess of parliament, meaning that if there is no agreement by the end of June, analysts say the current interim government of outgoing Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan is likely to remain in power until the fall.
“We are now at the beginning of a constitutional crisis,” said Cristian Pîrvulescu of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest. Under the constitution, some of the current ministers “do not have the right to be ministers” because the term of the transitional government should not last more than 45 days, which has already expired.
Talks between political parties in Romania continued on Thursday to agree on a minority government. The talks ended after two hours, local media reported informationbut there was no declaration of agreement.
