Ludovic Orban, the former leader of the National Liberal Party, pulled out of the party and announced that he would not back prime minister-designate Nicolae Ciuca.

Orban's group of followers in Parliament is estimated at some 40 - out of a total number of 446 MPs.

Orban thus rejected the interference of President Klaus Iohannis in the activity of the party - for the second time in a major way, after the President handpicked Florin Citu for the role of the party leader on September 25.

"The decision to nominate Nicolae Ciuca as prime minister did not belong to the PNL but to Iohannis. PNL no longer exists, it is the involuntary extension of Klaus Iohannis (…) Romania is a democratic country in which we do not govern by order, by military discipline, but by dialogue, transparency, debate," Orban said, according to G4media.ro.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Gov.ro)