Stelian Ion

Political Crisis in Romania : government Falls after No-confidence[H1]   motion

Romanian Prime Minister Florin Citu of the governing National Liberal Party was ousted Tuesday after a no-confidence motion in his government passed overwhelmingly, deepening an ongoing political crisis.

The government of Prime Minister Florin Citu of the National Liberal Party, PNL was toppled on Tuesday after a large majority of MPs backed a no-confidence motion filed last week by the main opposition Social Democratic Party, PSD.

In a tight contest, Prime Minister Florin Citu will battle ex-Prime Minister and current head of Romania's Chamber of Deputies, Ludovic Orban, for the leadership of the centre-right National Liberal Party, PNL at a party congress on Saturday.

The co-chair of the Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity (USR PLUS) Dan Barna stated on Monday that, at the moment of establishing the governing coalition, Florin Citu seemed to be "a reforming Prime Minister", closer to Romania's need for change.

Ministers from the USR-PLUS party resigned from the cabinet on Tuesday after Prime Minister Florin Citu dismissed Justice Minister Stelian Ion, an USR PLUS member.

"We have registered and submitted the resignations, together with the USR-PLUS ministers, at the premier's office. We are moving forward,' Dan Barna, the co-president of USR-PLUS, wrote on Facebook.

The Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) alliance, junior in the ruling coalition, says that 80 of its MPs have signed the motion of censure and that this step can be avoided only if Florin Citu no longer holds the position of prime minister.

The dismissal of the Justice Minister, Stelian Ion, on Wednesday by Prime Minister Florin Citu may trigger the break-up of the governing coalition in Romania and a major political crisis in the country.

Prime Minister Florin Citu announced the dismissal of Ion from the Justice Ministry, saying that he will not accept ministers in the government opposed to Romania's development.

President Klaus Iohannis received the request to revoke Stelian Ion from the post of Minister of Justice, according to the Presidential Administration. "The president has received the revocation request and is analyzing it," the Presidential Administration told AGERPRES.

The Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity and Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) alliance in the ruling coalition says it is withdrawing its political endorsement of Prime Minister Florin Citu, whom it reproaches of "having thrown the country into political crisis." "USR PLUS has not agreed with and will never agree to public money robbery, in any form of government.

Prime Minister Florin Citu announced this evening that he sent President Klaus Iohannis the request for the dismissal of Justice Minister Stelian Ion from the USR PLUS junior coalition partner. "I took a necessary decision. A few minutes ago I sent the President of Romania the request for the removal from office of Justice Minister Stelian Ion," PM Citu said.