Romanian President Nicușor Dan has avoided reiterating his previous opposition to parliamentary support from the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party for the government being assembled by Prime Minister-designate Adrian Veștea, as negotiations to secure a majority continue, according to Curs de Guvernare.

Speaking in Brussels on June 18 before the start of the European Council meeting, Dan declined to comment directly on reports that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Veștea were seeking support from AUR and other nationalist parties.

“It is a discussion that concerns the prime minister-designate,” the president said when asked about the possible involvement of AUR in the emerging majority.

Previously, Dan had stated that he would not endorse a government benefiting from anti-Western support in parliament. On June 18, however, he limited himself to stressing that Romania’s future cabinet must remain committed to Western values and fiscal discipline.

“When I appointed him [Veștea], I required him to form a majority. We will discuss further,” Dan said. “As I have said every time, it will be a pro-Western government, and it will be a government that will be very careful with finances and reforms.”

Asked whether he would request Veștea’s resignation if he failed to secure a stable majority, the president replied that he first needed to return to Romania and assess the political situation.

“I have appointed a prime minister to form a government, to have a majority and to get out of this crisis,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Social Democrats have reportedly explored the possibility of obtaining support from AUR lawmakers. Petrișor Peiu, leader of AUR’s Senate group, told Antena 3 CNN on June 18 that he had received a phone call from a PSD representative inviting the party to take part in discussions on the governing programme.

“An hour ago, I received a call asking if I wanted to participate in [the design of] the governing programme. From a gentleman from the PSD,” Peiu said. “I told him that the process had to be restarted from scratch.”

The comments come as Veștea struggles to secure a parliamentary majority before the June 24 deadline for obtaining a confidence vote.