The Constitutional Court on December 29 decided that the President’s decree to nominate Ion Sturza as a candidate for premiership is constitutional. Thus, the Court rejected the application of the 14 MPs, who left the Party of Communists, as groundless, IPN reports.

The Court’s president Alexandru Tanase said the head of state’s right to propose a candidate for Prime Minister represents a constitutional obligation. To fulfill this obligation, the President, who is chosen by a majority of votes of MP, must secure the support of the parliamentary majority by holding consultations with the parliamentary groups and try to ensure constructive cooperation with the opposition.

If an absolute parliamentary majority is not formed, after consultations the head of state is obliged to nominate a candidate for Prime Minister even if the parliamentary groups do not agree with the President’s proposal. If an absolute parliamentary majority is formed, the President nominates the candidate supported by this majority

The Court noted that the parliamentary coalition is to be formalized, not only declared, by indicating the MPs who form part of it and by officially notifying the head of state of the coalition’s’ readiness to support a particular candidate for premiership. The consultations are held with the parliamentary groups, including the groups of unaffiliated MPs.

The decision is definitive and cannot be appealed.