2021 Romanian political crisis

2021 Romanian political crisis
Date1 September 2021 – 25 November 2021
(2 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Caused by
Resulted in
Parties
Lead figures

Klaus Iohannis
Florin Cîțu (PM until November 2021)
Nicolae Ciucă (PM since November 2021)
Kelemen Hunor
Marcel Ciolacu (since November 2021)



Supported by:

Ludovic Orban
Anca Dragu


Dacian Cioloș
Dan Barna

George Simion
Claudiu Târziu
Sorin Lavric
Dan Tanasă


Daniel Ionașcu
Grațiela Gavrilescu[14]
Maria Grapini
Ramona Ioana Bruynseels


A political crisis began on 1 September 2021 in Romania, engulfing both major coalition partners of the Cîțu Cabinet, namely the conservative-liberal National Liberal Party (PNL) and the progressive-liberal Save Romania Union (USR). The crisis also involved former prime minister Ludovic Orban (PNL), who was set to face Prime Minister Florin Cîțu (PNL) in a leadership election during the party congress on 25 September, with the latter eventually replacing the former. Orban would eventually resign from his position as President of the Chamber of Deputies, with him and his supporters subsequently splitting from the PNL, in order to form the Force of the Right (FD).

The crisis was sparked by disagreements over the so-called Anghel Saligny investment program meant to develop Romanian settlements, which was supported by Prime Minister Cîțu but was severely criticized by USR PLUS, whose ministers boycotted a government meeting. In response, Prime Minister Cîțu sacked Justice Minister Stelian Ion (USR) and named Interior Minister Lucian Bode (PNL) as interim, igniting a crisis. In retaliation, USR PLUS submitted a motion of no confidence (also known as a motion of censure) against the Cîțu Cabinet together with the nationalist opposition party Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) and by 7 September, all USR PLUS ministers resigned on their own. The following day, Prime Minister Cîțu fired all secretaries of state and prefects named in their respective positions by USR PLUS.

The PNL leadership election caused the debate on the motion of no confidence to be postponed until after the congress, following a complaint to the Constitutional Court of Romania submitted by Cîțu. Subsequently, the major opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD), the largest political force in the Parliament, submitted a second motion of no confidence, which was read on 30 September 2021 and by which the Cîțu Cabinet was dissolved on 5 October 2021. Subsequently, President Klaus Iohannis designated Dacian Cioloș of USR as prime minister, followed by Nicolae Ciucă of PNL, however the proposal for the former was rejected by the Parliament and the latter stepped back. Throughout most of November 2021, negotiations between PSD, PNL and UDMR for a new majority took place, after which Ciucă was designated again by Iohannis as prime minister on 22 November. The crisis finally ended on 25 November, after the Ciucă Cabinet took office.

All throughout this period of time, the political crisis had a somewhat severe impact on the economy, as well as public health, both having been already affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference saligny was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Dan Barna, după demiterea ministrului Justiției, Stelian Ion: "Florin Cîţu trebuie să plece"". Ziarul Unirea. September 2021.
  3. ^ "Guvernul Cîțu, aproape demis. Ce urmează". Digi24 (in Romanian). 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Daniel Ionașcu, mesaj tranșant pentru politicienii de la putere: Opriți abuzurile și sfidarea la adresa românilor".
  5. ^ "PMP, apel la responsabilitate: "România trebuie guvernată bine! Această coaliție a demonstrat că este incapabilă să guverneze"". Gândul. 2 September 2021.
  6. ^ Vasilescu, Monica (23 November 2021). "PUTERE noua, cu politicieni vechi si controversati - Marian Neacsu, membru PRO Romania, propus de PSD in Guvern". Realitatea.NET (in Romanian). Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Florin Cîţu şi-a anunţat echipa propusă pentru Biroul Executiv al PNL. Cine e mâna dreaptă a preşedintelui liberal".
  8. ^ "Primarul Cristian Popescu Piedone, replică dură pentru "omul galben" Ludovic Orban". 2 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Cristian Popescu Piedone îl atacă pe Ludovic Orban:Te crezi Baba Vanga?". 2 July 2021.
  10. ^ "VIDEO Premierul Florin Cîțu a deschis anul școlar alături de primarul Cristian Popescu Piedone, condamnat la 8 ani de închisoare, în primă instanță, în dosarul "Colectiv"". 14 September 2021.
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  12. ^ "Ionel Dancă: "Florin Cîțu a provocat doar probleme PNL-ului"". 25 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Intelectualii liberali se poziţionează pro-Orban. Stelian Tănase, Nicolae Manolescu şi alte 19 personalităţi cer delegaţilor să-l voteze tot pe actualul şef al PNL". 20 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Grațiela Gavrilescu: Vom vota orice moțiune de cenzură împotriva guvernului Cîțu". 21 September 2021.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Nicușor Dan intră în polemică cu Florin Cîțu: Replica primarului după reproșurile privind pregătirea spitalelor în valul 4". 22 September 2021.
  16. ^ "VIDEO Scandal la moțiune: Diana Șoșoacă i-a pus lui Cîțu pe masă un sac de morgă - Politic - HotNews.ro". 29 June 2021.
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  18. ^ "Codrin Ștefănescu, mesaj pentru Ludovic Orban: "După ce câștigi, rade-i! Să nu fi bun și politicos ca Liviu. Nu credeam că poate fi mai rău decât cu tine. A apărut Cîțu și coșmarurile noastre au fost depășite!"". 22 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Liviu Dragnea, dezlantuit: Iohannis merge cu Citu pana in panzele albe. Obiectvul Guvernului este sa predea Romania". 19 September 2021.
  20. ^ "Aurelian Pavelescu". Facebook.
  21. ^ "Aurelian Pavelescu". Facebook.
  22. ^ https://www.facebook.com/150967671609795/posts/4667424636630720/ [user-generated source]
  23. ^ https://www.facebook.com/150967671609795/posts/4670134803026370/ [user-generated source]