Foreign Policy Embarrassment

July 2006 | Ratings Update

Relations between President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu sank to a new low when the latter's proposal for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq was rejected by the President and the Supreme Defence Council. Some members of the Liberal party, of whom Tariceanu is head, called for his resignation for not consulting them. Not only does this development highlight the possibility of damaging political disruption before this autumn's EU accession announcement, it also sends conflicting messages regarding foreign policy to Romania's EU and NATO partners.

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