February 24 (SeeNews) - Romania's Constitutional Court on Monday ruled that president Klaus Iohannis should nominate a candidate for prime minister who can win the support of a parliamentary majority.
"The Court found, in essence, in accordance with decision no.80 / 2014, that the nomination of the candidate for the position of prime minister must have the purpose of ensuring the establishment of a parliamentary majority in order to form a new government," CCR said in a press release.
However, the decision does not clarify how the president should make sure that the new nominee can muster a majority in parliament.
Earlier this month, opposition Social Democrat Party (PSD) challenged before the top court the decision of the president to nominate Ludovic Orban, leader of National Liberal Party (PNL) for prime minister-designate for a second time.
Orban has been tasked with forming a transitional government on February 6 - a day after parliament dismissed his minority cabinet, bringing closer the possibility of early election. If parliament refuses to endorse Orban or a possible second nominee for prime minister, the president can dissolve parliament and call early elections.
Following the vote in parliament, Orban said that he will deliberately seek the rejection of the first two proposals of the president in order to trigger a snap general election that PNL hopes to win, as the party is far ahead of PSD in recent opinion polls. President Iohannis has said too that he favours the early election scenario.
On January 10, Orban submitted to parliament the new government list which includes the same ministers as in his previous cabinet, as well as a slightly updated government programme containing new proposals regarding European funds and public administration. The prime minister-designate said the following day that he and his second government will seek a vote of confidence in parliament on February 24.
The court's decision came just before a scheduled session of parliament, in which Orban's cabinet was to seek vote of confidence. The session began as scheduled but was cancelled due to lack of quorum, as PSD MPs did not turn up. President Iohannis announced that he will hold a news conference at 1800 local time.
According to the constitution, the president must nominate a new prime minister now, usually after consultations with political parties. If parliament refuses to endorse a new nominee for prime minister twice within 60 days, the president can dissolve parliament and call early elections.
Romania's next regular parliamentary elections are to be held in March 2021.