Senate Chairman: Ruling Coalition Could Challenge President To Constitutional Court

“If Mr. Iohannis respects his constitutional powers, everything is alright. If he does not respect his powers regarding nominations made by the Prime Ministers and appointment decrees, then we can certainly notify the Constitutional Court,” said the Senate chairman.

Tariceanu added that the president used a Constituional Court decision when he refused to appoint the prime minister’s proposal for new transportations and regional development ministers, deeming his right to refusal a “quasi-constitutional right”.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced on Tuesday that he rejected two of the Social Democrat Party’s (PSD) eight proposals for a government reshuffle, for Lia Olguta Vasilescu as transportations minister and Ilan Laufer as regional development minister.

The president also rejected proposals to dismiss the current ministers in those offices, Lucian Sova and Paul Stanescu, while accepting the other six changes proposed by the country’s ruling party.

Iohannis did not explain the reasoning behind his refusal to appoint the two ministers, only stating he considers them “indequate”.

Romania’s ruling Social Democrat Party commenced a top brass meeting on Wednesday afternoon to decide its response on the matter.