The leader of Romania’s senior ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, said a new government reshuffle will take place by the end of September or in early October.

The reshuffle comes on the background of rising tensions within the party. Some current and former PSD leaders have recently spoken against the way Dragnea is leading the party, with some of them asking him to resign.

“The prime minister, as I have talked to her and Mr. [Calin Popescu] Tariceanu [leader of the PSD’s coalition partner, Alde], has to present an assessment of the ministers, and we, within the PSD, within a reasonable timeframe, have to talk with each minister. I think that by the end of this month, or the beginning of October, this should end in a reshuffle,” Dragnea said during a TV interview on Antena 3 on September 9.

However, Dragnea refused to give any names of ministers who might be changed. He only expressed his satisfaction with the work of Prime Minister Viorica Dancila.

“I am very content with the PM. I and many colleagues know she is a good PM. I know that every day she sets things and starts and approves projects, but unfortunately in some ministries, some colleagues, members of the government, have not managed to have the decision of opportunity, which is theirs,” Dragnea added.

Since taking power in December 2016, the PSD has already changed its prime minister twoce. Sorin Grindeanu was ousted through a no-confidence vote in mid-2017, while his successor Mihai Tudose resigned after just seven months in office. Both of them are said to have been removed after tensions with the PSD leader.

Recently, former education minister and former leader of the Bucharest branch of the PSD, Ecaterina Andronescu asked for a change of government, while the mayor of Bucharest and leader of the PSD Bucharest branch Gabriela Firea asked both Dragnea and Interior Minister Carmen Dan to step down.