The announcement was made on the very day on which the government headed by Prime Minister Emil Boc managed to survive a no-confidence vote initiated by the opposition. As concerns the no-confidence vote, the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) voted to replace the government, while the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) voted against its replacement, and the Social Democratic Party abstained.
Shortly after Basescu’s announcement, his opponent, Mircea Geoana, said that the proposal is “demagogic,” and requested people to vote against a unicameral Parliament. However, such a vote would not be sufficient, because the number of chambers in Parliament is established by the Constitution, and the President cannot request a constitutional referendum.
