Romania Government Negotions Under Way

Following Traian Basescu’s victory in Romania’s presidential elections Sunday, The country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, PDL, on Wednesday invited opposition Liberal Party, PNL, to join a coalition aimed at forming a new, stable government.

But the chances for reaching an agreement are slim as most of the Liberal leaders are opposing it without a clear statement from PDL that they will support a "liberal prime minister".

The PNL party blames president Traian Basescu for the breakup in 2007 of the governing coalition between the PNL and the Liberal Democrats, the party from which the president comes from.

Democrats are also battling to get the votes of the Hungarian minority party know as UDMR. Their leader Marko Bela has already declared that his union wants a "clear majority able to support a stable Cabinet".

Romania is in the hands of a caretaker government following the collapse of a centre-right government in October. Two subsequent attempts by Basescu to form a government by nominating a prime minister have failed.

The International Monetary Fund, the EU and the World Bank have postponed
the third installment of a 20 billion euro aid package because of the political deadlock.