“We tried to offer the country stability, but we cannot do so as long as the Socialists irresponsibly join forces with extremists while continuing to pretend that they are pro-European,” Mureșan said after the vote. “It is now the president’s responsibility to act. He can either call a snap election or propose a new prime minister,” he added.

But Dan does not want to dissolve parliament for a national vote that would likely benefit the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, which is currently ahead in the polls. He wants the feuding political leaders to put aside their differences and make a deal to support a new coalition.

Dan said he would hold more talks with party leaders and nominate a new candidate for prime minister on Monday.

He does not want to dissolve parliament for a national vote that would likely benefit the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, which is currently ahead in the polls. He wants the feuding political leaders to put aside their differences and make a deal to support a new coalition.

“I ask the parties to organize their internal meetings during this time and to come up with solutions this time which can pass,” Dan said. “I want to assure Romanians and our partners that we will keep the pro-Western direction and that we will respect the financial commitments we have made.”

On the European Union’s eastern border, Romania is a key NATO member and home to one of the alliance’s biggest military bases. The country of 19 million people has played an important role in supporting Ukraine and has come under pressure from Russia as a result.

The current political crisis blew up in the spring when the PSD joined forces with AUR to bring down Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan’s coalition, in protest at his leadership and deep spending cuts intended to bring a ballooning budget deficit under control.

In the months since, the president has nominated three people to replace Bolojan — one pulled out before going to parliament to seek majority support from lawmakers, and two have now been formally rejected in parliamentary votes.