January 16 (SeeNews) - Romania's Social Democrat Party (PSD) and their coalition partner, the Liberal-Democrat Alliance (ALDE), on Tuesday proposed MEP Viorica Dancila as prime minister, PSD leader Liviu Dragnea said.
The nomination comes after prime minister Mihai Tudose resigned on Monday evening after the decision-making executive committee of the PSD voted to withdraw his party's support.
"Viorica Dancila has been an MEP since 2009 and is well respected in Brussels. She is a civilised, non-confrontational woman, and she is also very communicative. She has good relations with EU officials," Dragnea said during a televised statement on Tuesday. "For us, this is also a signal we want to send to Brussels because we seriously feel the need for closer and improved relations with the EU. Let us not forget that next year we will hold the EU presidency, which is a huge opportunity for us."
Dancila, 54, has been a PSD member for 21 years and is currently serving in a second mandate in the European Parliament. Since 2015, she is president of PSD's women organisation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Romania's president Klaus Iohannis named defence minister Mihai Fifor as interim prime minister and invited the main political parties to consultations on Wednesday.
This is the second time in less than a year that PSD sacks its own government.
The Tudose cabinet was voted into office at end-June, after the government led by Sorin Grindeanu lost a no-confidence vote requested by PSD.
At the end of 2017, Romanians protested for seven Sundays in a row against against the government's plans to appoint the country's chief prosecutor without the consent of the president. Critics see this and other planned changes to the Criminal Code as attempts to weaken the fight against corruption.
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