Save Romania Union (USR) First Vice President Dominic Fritz will take over as interim party leader following the resignation of Elena Lasconi, announced Ionut Mosteanu, the leader of USR MPs, on Monday.

He told Digi 24 that the message from Elena Lasconi, who announced her resignation from the USR leadership, was „a natural one.”

Mosteanu said that, at this moment, USR is focusing on the May 18 elections and on supporting Nicusor Dan, in order to maintain Romania’s pro-European path. He also confirmed that a USR Congress is scheduled for June 21.

„It’s a Congress called at the request of 21 local branches. It’s already scheduled. We need to elect the audit and arbitration commissions. These are two important bodies for the party’s functioning, which are currently past their mandate. We had expected the presidential elections to be over last year and extended a few mandates… But that’s not the focus right now. Our full attention is on May 18,” said the USR parliamentary leader.

According to him, a pro-European governing coalition cannot mathematically function in Parliament without the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

„As much as we might want to govern with the [National Liberal Party] PNL and the [Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania] UDMR, the numbers just don’t add up for a majority. That’s the reality – it’s arithmetic,” Mosteanu explained.

He firmly ruled out the possibility of PSD leader Marcel Ciolacu remaining as head of the government.

„Absolutely not. I’ve said it many times. I believe he himself is finally realising the damage he has done – to Romania, his party, the government, and the candidate he supported. There are moments when one needs to look in the mirror, make a self-assessment, and step aside,” Ionut Mosteanu emphasised.

AGERPRES