Traian Băsescu rejects the PNL’s plan: the Constitutional Court cannot trigger snap elections

Former president Traian Băsescu said Monday evening on B1 TV that the PNL cannot trigger snap elections by filing a referral with the Constitutional Court if the Mureșan Government is rejected by Parliament. According to Băsescu, dissolving Parliament is an exclusive prerogative of President Nicușor Dan.

The statement came after PNL vice president Alexandru Muraru announced that the liberals are prepared to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court if the Government does not receive a vote of confidence, and the head of state does not call snap elections. Muraru argues that, in the absence of a majority capable of forming a Government, the democratic solution is to return to the voters.

Băsescu explained that, for snap elections to be organized, Parliament must first be dissolved, and this decision can only be made by the president. However, he did not rule out new nominations for the position of prime minister and assessed that the Mureșan Government has only a 1% chance of passing the parliamentary vote. The former head of state did not declare himself an unconditional supporter of snap elections, but said that they could become the only solution if political negotiations fail.