Romania’s political deadlock risks handing power to far right, PM nominee warns – POLITICO

Romania’s center-left opposition must urgently decide whether to support a new pro-European government or be blamed for the far right gaining control, warned the country’s potential next prime minister.

In an interview with POLITICO, European lawmaker Siegfried Mureșan said he would ask the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to back his center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) in a new vote “by the end of next week,” even though the PSD’s leadership has so far refused to do so.

“Romanian socialists are facing a moment of truth — they need to decide whether they behave as responsible European social democrats and support a pro-European government or whether they are intensifying their cooperation with the radical right, the anti-European populistic extremist party here,” said Mureșan, who is the third person tasked with forming a government since the ruling coalition lost a no-confidence vote in May.