The fate of the Government in Tuesday’s no-confidence motion remains uncertain, and the difference could be made by a few votes, says the first vice president of the PNL, Ciprian Ciucu. He argues that, at this moment, the camp that wants to reject the motion is on the edge.
In an intervention on Antena 3, Ciucu stated that „at this moment it’s being played” and that „between five and ten votes are missing for it not to pass,” suggesting that the final result depends on the negotiations in the last days.
The liberal leader admitted that there may be "defections" from both sides, making the vote hard to predict.
"We don't offer positions or money"
Asked what PNL offers parliamentarians to not support the motion, Ciucu rejected the idea of negotiations based on positions or material advantages. He said that liberals rely on "a vote of conscience" and the idea of "dignity."
"We don't offer positions, we don't offer money, we don't offer contracts," he stated, emphasizing that the discussions in Parliament do not target political rewards.
Two strategies at play
Ciucu explained that PNL currently has two options: either passively accept the possibility of the Government's fall, or try to convince parliamentarians not to vote for the motion.
The first option, which he calls "defeatism," would mean not intervening at all in the voting dynamics. The second, "non-defeatism," involves active discussions with parliamentarians to obtain enough votes against the motion.
According to Ciucu, the party has chosen the second strategy, but without attempting to form new majorities or negotiate positions.
PSD and AUR, summoned to assume governance
Ciprian Ciucu stated that if the no-confidence motion passes, the parties supporting it must also come up with a governance solution. He pointed out that a majority that topples a government has the responsibility to quickly form a new one to avoid a political crisis.
"Whoever forms a majority to topple a government logically must have a majority prepared to replace that government. So the PSD-AUR majority, if they topple the government, must assume governance," stated the first vice president of the PNL.
At the same time, the liberal leader ruled out any new collaboration with the PSD if the Executive falls in the vote. He said that trust between the two parties is broken, and that the liberals no longer consider a coalition.
"It is out of the question for us to form any coalition with you. They will have to form the majority because they detonated this bomb and they are plunging Romania into crisis, not the PNL," Ciucu affirmed.
Additionally, he strongly criticized the PSD, stating that the party "has nothing more to offer" and that the PNL "no longer accepts being mocked by the social democrats."