The former head of the Romanian Senate and the leader of the ALDE party that pulled out of the ruling coalition last week, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, summoned his senior party members for discussions on September 3, in an attempt to keep the MPs of his party united, Hotnews.ro reported.

On the previous day, former ALDE minister Teodor Melescanu nearly accepted the invitation extended by the troubled ruling party PSD to be nominated for Senate president.

PSD is seeking to rebuild a parliamentary majority by attracting support from ALDE MPs who are unhappy with Tariceanu’s decision to leave the coalition. PSD invited Melescanu to take the seat left vacant by Tariceanu himself.

Melescanu resigning from ALDE, potentially followed by other MPs, would put the party in the position of losing its group in the Senate. ALDE risks losing more lawmakers after a number of leaders have publicly declared that they do not agree with the alliance already pinpointed by Tariceanu with PRO Romania -- the party of former prime minister Victor Ponta.

Senator Daniel Zamfir is one of the most vocal critics of the alliance with Ponta's party. Other ALDE leaders expressed discontent with the regional organisations not being consulted by Tariceanu before the decision to pull out of the ruling coalition -- as the party’s statute requires.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Calin Popescu Tariceanu)