Five independent senators elected on the SOS Romania and POT lists joined the PSD group in the Senate on Monday.

Five senators who had been serving as independents joined the PSD parliamentary group in the Senate on Monday, November 2, following individual announcements made at the beginning of the session.

They are Ionel Carp, elected in Tulcea on the SOS Romania lists; Valentina-Mariana Aldea and Liviu Sorin Robe, elected in Bucharest and Bistrița-Năsăud, respectively, on the POT lists; as well as Cristian Bem, elected in Vaslui on the SOS Romania lists, and Robert Daniel Ghiță, elected in Olt on the POT lists. The five did not provide explanations for their decision to join the group.

A notable moment was Senator Valentina-Mariana Aldea’s announcement, which she made while laughing before confirming her move to the Social Democratic group.

The moves come after the PSD returned to government, in the cabinet led by Luca Niculescu, and after the dissolution of the PACE parliamentary group. Last week, Senator Gheorghe Ștefănache joined the PNL after resigning from the USR.

Following the changes, PSD becomes the largest group in the Senate, with 40 members, followed by AUR, with 30, and PNL, with 27. USR has 18 senators, UDMR 10, while nine lawmakers are unaffiliated. The adoption of organic laws requires 68 votes, meaning PSD cannot secure a majority on its own.