Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Monday offered his resignation after the government’s candidate failed to make the runoff in the presidential election.
He called a party meeting to ask his Social Democratic Party (PSD) to disband the three-party ruling coalition that was formed after Dec. 1 parliamentary elections to create a stable government and to propose a join candidate for the redo of the presidential election that was cancelled over Russian interference in the original vote.
“This coalition…. was formed …with two objectives: to create a government with a PSD prime minister because the PSD was the biggest party, and to have a common candidate for the presidency. One of the 2 objectives was not fulfilled: to have a candidate who would become the president of Romania,” Mr. Ciolacu announced ahead of a party meeting.
“After seeing the result of the vote and the fact that the coalition did not fulfill its agreement, I will propose the PSD leaves this coalition. If my colleagues vote to leave the coalition, of course I submit my resignation,” he announced.
The top PSD management is expected to resign from the party leadership, after joint candidate, Crin Antonescu, narrowly missed getting into the runoff. The party meeting will start at 17:00 in Bucharest.
Nationalist George Simion easily won the first round of elections with about 41% of the vote and will face pro-European centrist Nicusor Dan who came second with about 21%.
