Romania’s President and Prime Minister are battling over the right to nominate a European Commissioner. And their dispute is putting an important position for Romania at risk.

Ironically, both leaders want the same man, the current EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos, to retain his post. Ciolos, 44, has reportedly done a good job during his two years as EU Commissioner.

“Given the appreciation he received during his term as a Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, his nomination will most probably not be rejected,” President Traian Basescu said recently.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta has the same opinion. “Ciolos has the government’s full support to run for a second term. I’ve already informed [president elect of the Commission] Jean-Claude Juncker of Romania’s position,” Ponta said.

However, Ponta said early this week that, by law, the government decides the name of the European Commissioner, not the President.

Confusingly, however, the President represents Romania at the European Council, according to the constitution.

For his part, Basescu has maintained that he does not need a mandate from the government to propose the European Commissioner on behalf of Romania.

Ponta’s centre-left government and President have a long history of disputes, which culminated in a referendum on the impeachment of Basescu July 2012.

An impulsive and divisive figure, Basescu has failed to defuse tensions with the government and parliament, accusing politicians of being corrupt and of not supporting reforms.

Analysts say the disagreements between the President and Prime Minister have already undermined Romania’s interests.

“The politicians have an obligation to resolve the nomination of Romania’s candidate for the European Commission post. Or, Romania will have a reduced chance of getting a portofolio of the same importance as Agriculture,” political analyst Bogdan Teodorescu said.

In 2009, the EU decided that Commissioners should change their portfolios on taking a second mandate.

If Romania does not get the Agriculture portfolio, or another of equal or greater importance, an option is to appoint a more junior politician for the Commission.

Most of the EU’s 28 member countries have already announced their next Commissioners. The nominations have to pass through EU parliamentary hearings in September before MEPs vote on the new European Commission.