Romanian Senator Leaves PACE Group for AUR, Narrowly Averting Collapse

Senator Paul Gheorghe announced on Wednesday that he is leaving the PACE-Întâi România parliamentary group to join the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR). This move brings the PACE-Întâi România group to the minimum threshold required for its existence in the Senate, with seven senators remaining.

"Starting today (Wednesday), I wish to announce that I will be part of the AUR parliamentary group," Gheorghe stated from the Senate tribune. The departure means the PACE-Întâi România group retains its status but loses a permanent commission presidency.

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Starting today (Wednesday), I wish to announce that I will be part of the AUR parliamentary group.

Senator Ninel Peia commented on the situation, congratulating the AUR members. "This is what progressive brotherhood means, isn't it? Perhaps you will take from PSD, perhaps from PNL, perhaps from USR. You cooperate very well with them. It seems that by Mr. Senator Paul Gheorghe coming to you, you thought you would gain positions. Know that the PACE group, with its formation of seven, only loses a commission president and it returns, if we do the calculations and you have a mathematician, it seems not, to our colleagues from USR. Congratulations, Mr. Leader," Peia declared.

This is not the first instance of senators leaving the PACE-Întâi România group. On July 29, senators Dorin Petrea and Ștefan Borțun announced their departure to join the PNL parliamentary group.

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This is what progressive brotherhood means, isn't it? Perhaps you will take from PSD, perhaps from PNL, perhaps from USR. You cooperate very well with them. It seems that by Mr. Senator Paul Gheorghe coming to you, you thought you would gain positions. Know that the PACE group, with its formation of seven, only loses a commission president and it returns, if we do the calculations and you have a mathematician, it seems not, to our colleagues from USR. Congratulations, Mr. Leader.