Romania’s pro-European parties agree to quickly form a broad coalition government, Reuters writes

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romania’s pro-European parties have secured a firm commitment to form a ruling majority that will fend off the hard right and potentially support a single candidate for a repeat of the country’s annulled presidential election.

The ruling left-wing Social Democrats won the most seats in parliamentary elections on December 1, in which three ultra-nationalist and hard-right groups, some with open pro-Russian sympathies, won more than a third of the seats.

The parliamentary ballot was sandwiched between two rounds of presidential elections in which far-right NATO critic Kalin Georgescu emerged from relative obscurity to become the shock front-runner.

That sparked accusations of Russian meddling before the country’s top court annulled Friday’s presidential election and said the entire process would have to be repeated.

The new government in the European Union and the NATO country will have to come up with a new calendar for the presidential elections, probably in the first half of 2025.

Outgoing president Klaus Iohannis, who will remain until the new president is sworn in, will nominate the prime minister. The mandate of the current legislator expires on December 21.

The Social Democrats, their current coalition partners the center-right Liberals, the opposition centrist Save Romania Union and the ethnic Hungarian party agreed on Monday to quickly form a pro-European government.

“The four parties and representatives of national minorities will work in the coming days on a joint management program based on development and reforms that will take into account the priorities of Romanian citizens,” the joint statement said.

Analysts expect the four parties, which have often clashed over political issues, will struggle to agree on the measures needed to reduce the EU’s biggest budget deficit to 8% of economic output.

Analysts, rating agencies and Brussels say that tax increases are needed, which will further undermine the parties’ support.

The parties also said they were considering backing a pro-European candidate in the presidential election, to boost their chances of winning against a wave of support for ultra-nationalists.

It was unclear whether Georgesku would be allowed to run again, and prosecutors are investigating his campaign.