Far-right Romanian party POT's Senate faction disbanded following additional resignations
Romanian Senate's Young People's Party (POT) Dissolved Due to Resignations of Two Senators
In a dramatic turn of events, the parliamentary group of the Young People's Party (POT) in the Romanian Senate was dissolved on Monday, May 26, as two of its senators announced their resignation during a plenary session. Liviu-Iulian Fodoca and Stefan Bortun, elected in constituencies 33 of Sălaj and 38, Tulcea, respectively, severed ties with the far-right party.
The sudden departures are the latest in a series of resignations that have plagued POT since the May 18 presidential elections, in which centrist Nicusor Dan defeated far-right politician George Simion. Fodoca cited dissatisfaction with the party leadership as the primary reason for his departure, alleging that the political project had shifted to serve the interests of another parliamentary party, possibly the larger Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR).
In the run-up to the presidential elections, POT and AUR maintained a close alliance, with party leaders Anamaria Gavrilă and George Simion mirroring the actions of Calin Georgescu, who was barred from running for the presidency.
Speaking to Agerpres, Fodoca expressed disappointment with the party leadership, stating, "The centralization of decisions in the hands of a small group and the arbitrary practices of appointments between counties, without criteria of competence or merit, compromised trust in the initially assumed direction."
Similarly, Stefan Bortun emphasized that he resigned from the party after months of unsuccessful attempts to engage with the leadership. "I entered politics for the people, not for positions, groups, or party calculations," he underscored.
POT garnered 6.5% of votes in the December 1, 2024, parliamentary elections, when it aligned with Calin Georgescu. However, the party's influence in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of the Romanian Parliament, has dwindled, with only 14 out of the 24 deputies remaining following the mass exodus. If five more deputies resign, the party's group will also be dissolved.
The turmoil within POT is part of an ongoing political struggle in Romania, where far-right parties continue to challenge the pro-European ruling coalition, including the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL).
(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)
- The resignations of Liviu-Iulian Fodoca and Stefan Bortun from the Young People's Party (POT) have raised concerns about the party's direction, especially in the context of growing war-and-conflicts and politics in Europe, as their reasons for leaving point towards allegations of the party shifting to serve the interests of another parliamentary party, possibly the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR).
- Amidst the ongoing migration crisis and general-news headlines about political instability, the Young People's Party (POT) in Romania has seen a series of resignations, with two senators, Fodoca and Bortun, citing dissatisfaction with the party leadership and centralization of decisions as their primary reasons, leading to the dissolution of the party's parliamentary group in the Romanian Senate.
