Romanian elected officials refused on Wednesday October 20 to give their confidence to an ultra-minority government formed by former European Commissioner Dacian Ciolos, prolonging the political crisis in a country bruised by Covid-19.
Unsurprisingly, only 88 deputies and senators from the overwhelming majority of the USR, the center-right formation led by Dacian Ciolos, voted for his team, far from the minimum of 234 votes required.
Read alsoRomania sinks into political instability
Romania has been in turmoil since Parliament censured Florin Citu's liberal government two weeks ago, dropped by one of his allies accusing him of authoritarianism. While the latter is acting, the head of state Klaus Iohannis began political negotiations last week. He tasked 52-year-old Dacian Ciolos with forming a new government despite his slim chances of winning enough votes in parliament. Seen as one of the main gravediggers of the Citu executive, the former European Commissioner for Agriculture encountered in particular the refusal of the liberals (PNL) to reform the center-right coalition set up after the legislative elections of December . The president must now resume consultations, when it is urgent.
Deprived of a government with full powers, Romania is struggling to fight a health crisis of unprecedented gravity.
The vaccination campaign remains sluggish and this Eastern European country, with its dilapidated health system, recorded on Tuesday the worst figures since the start of the coronavirus pandemic: 561 dead and nearly 19,000 new cases recorded in 24 hours, a " national drama ”according to Klaus Iohannis.
Hospitals are overwhelmed, intensive care beds insufficient and Bucharest has had to transfer Covid-19 patients - around 30 to date - to neighboring Hungary.
Less than a third of Romanians are so far fully vaccinated, the lowest rate in the European Union, after Bulgaria.
