Save Romania Union

The Joint Chambers of Parliament rejected on Wednesday the motion of no-confidence "Ousting the Dragnea - Dancila government, a national emergency!", signed by the National Liberal Party (PNL), Save Romania Union (USR) and People Movement's Party (PMP).

The vote tally counted 166 votes for the motion and 4 against.

Save Romania Union (USR) leader Dan Barna stated on Wednesday in Parliament's plenum that his party will vote for the no-confidence motion, the only way forward into Europe, highlighting that our country urgently needs a competent government, "not a puppet one, at the service of a convicted criminal."

The censure motion initiated by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Save Romania Union (USR), called "PSDragnea, during the campaign mother, at rule, plague," was rejected in the joint plenary sitting of Parliament, with 159 votes in favour, 3 against and 23 abstentions. To be adopted, the motion needed minimum 233 votes in favour.

Save Romania Union, the third strongest force in parliament, faces a leadership crisis after its leader, Nicusor Dan, resigned abruptly on Wednesday night.

He quit after the party leadership urged its MPs to vote against a bill redefining the family in strictly heterosexual terms in the constitution.

Romania's youngest political force in parliament, the Save Romania Union, USR, is holding its first national congress after the December 2016 elections at the weekend.

But much more is at stake than a simple leadership contest, analysts and politicians say.