The National Political Bureau of the PSD (Romania’s Largest Parliamentary Party) decided on Monday to recommend to the National Political Council not to support the investiture of the Government led by the designated Prime Minister Siegfried Mureșan.
The final decision is to be made by the NPC.
Sorin Grindeanu announced once again that the PSD will only vote for a government in which it participates. This comes after Siegfried Mureșan specified that he would propose a PNL-USR-UDMR Executive, possibly also with some technocrats.
"Today, PSD decided not to vote for Bolojan 2.0," emphasized Grindeanu in a press statement at the party headquarters after Monday's leadership meeting.
The social democrats believe that the new government would continue the austerity direction associated with the Bolojan Executive and criticize the current lack of a concrete governance program.
"We have seen that Mr. Mureșan stated that he wants to be the disciple of Ilie Bolojan. We cannot vote for him.
Some want to remain stuck in the pantry, to turn on the light (...)
Everything Siegfried Mureșan has done shows that he doesn't even want to become prime minister, it's all staged.
Instead of attacking the PSD, some even this morning, I would have expected him to tell us where he covers the missing 30 billion lei from the budget. Instead of the eternal insults, I would have wanted to see what the plan for the rectification and the vision for the 2027 budget is," said Grindeanu.
Within the PSD, there is also a fear that the future program could include new tax increases, which the liberals have already denied.
"PSD thus says stop to the continuation of policies that impoverish Romanians and the Romanian economy. Romanians can no longer bear increased taxes, high prices, and mass layoffs," the PSD leader declaimed.
Nevertheless, Grindeanu did not rule out meeting and discussing with Siegfried Mureșan, because the PSD is the "adult in the room."
PSD Prefers Early Elections Over Continuing Austerity
PSD Deputy Marius Budăi previously stated that the party would prefer early elections over supporting a government that would continue the policies of the current Executive.
"Mr. Siegfried Mureșan, Mini-Bolojan, in recent days you have been threatening us that if the PSD does not vote for your Mini-Bolojan Government, we will go to early elections. The answer is simple: better early elections than to vote for a prime minister who announces that he will continue the Bolojan government," wrote Budăi on Facebook.
He harshly criticized the economic policy of the Bolojan Government and argued that the PSD's vote for changing the prime minister cannot be followed by supporting a formula that continues in the same direction.
"We'd rather see each other in the campaign than vote for the continuation of austerity, tax increases, income cuts, and other primitive measures that have destroyed the economy!" stated the PSD Deputy.
PSD Secretary-General Claudiu Manda also announced that he personally opposes Mureșan's investiture, whom he also compared to Ilie Bolojan, stating that the new cabinet would continue the same policies.
Grindeanu Calls for Early Elections or Another Designation
PSD President Sorin Grindeanu went further and on Monday asked the designated Prime Minister Siegfried Mureșan to resign to enter another procedure: either early elections or for President Nicușor Dan to designate another prime ministerial candidate.
"I do not wish for a government to come now that will continue in the same wrong direction, as otherwise we wouldn't have ousted Bolojan. So, from my earlier call, let's not waste time. Mureșan should resign. Either we enter a procedure for early elections or there is a new nomination, a new designation by the president," said Grindeanu.
"For you to come now and say, sir, I want to continue in the same line and want the PSD votes. Don't be upset with me, but it would mean that everything we have done in this period, consulting party members, going through this internal process, which was before that vote, would be blown up," added the PSD leader.
Mureșan Goes to Vote in Parliament
Siegfried Mureșan announced that he will go to Parliament with the government even if he fails to obtain a majority. He stated that the PNL, USR, and UDMR are working on the governance program, which is expected to be presented this week.
The designated Prime Minister intends to submit the governance program and the list of ministers by the end of the week. Mureșan specified that the future cabinet will be a minority one, mainly composed of representatives from the PNL, USR, and UDMR.