Romanian parliament votes in unwieldy pro-EU coalition government
BudapestcTypeface:> The Romanian parliament on Monday voted a new pro-EU coalition government into office, the Mediafax news agency reported.
Both the upper and lower houses of parliament approved the coalition, which is an alliance of pro-EU centrist parties, and excludes the pro-Russian far right, which has recently gained in strength in Romania. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's centrist National Liberal Party (PNL) is joined by the Social Democrats (PSD), the liberal-conservative Save Romania Union (USR), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR/RMDSZ) and parties of other ethnic groups.
According to the coalition agreement, the PNL and PSD will alternate in holding the prime minister's office, with Bolojan serving until April 2027, followed by a politician from the PSD until the end of the legislative period in December 2028. Bolojan served as caretaker president between February and May this year. He had earlier earned a reputation as a determined reformer as head of a regional council in the west of the country. (DPA)
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