Nicușor Dan impeachment proposal filed by SOS Romania
Diana Șoșoacă, leader of the opposition party SOS Romania and a member of the European Parliament, said her party has registered an initiative in parliament to impeach the country’s president.
“If the Romanian people do not act, the consequences may be sad. The time has come to start collecting signatures and increase pressure on parliament to remove him, because negotiations are taking place behind the scenes, and that is unfair to Romanians,” she told journalists.
Romania’s impeachment procedure
Romania’s impeachment procedure has two stages. It has been initiated several times in the country’s history, but has never been completed.
First, the initiative must be supported by a majority of lawmakers in both chambers of parliament. If that happens, the president is temporarily suspended from office and the issue is put to a referendum.
The process reached the referendum stage twice during the presidency of Traian Băsescu. Last year, Klaus Iohannisresigned before the procedure could begin.
Political crisis could reshape parliament
Nicușor Dan does not intend to resign. He is holding firmly to power and, critics say, intends to defend Brussels’ interests to the end by preventing a sovereigntist prime minister from taking office.
It is doubtful that the current pro-European majority in the Romanian parliament, despite its internal disagreements, will support Șoșoacă’s initiative. However, the political crisis that began after the no-confidence vote against Ilie Bolojan’s cabinet is now developing its own momentum. It could still lead to early elections and a new parliament in which pro-Brussels forces no longer hold a majority.
As happened last year, Brussels and its allies may again decide to push the limits and bend the constitution. But if early elections produce a sovereigntist majority in parliament, an impeachment vote could become realistic. So could a successful referendum to remove Sandu’s ally from power.
