The Romanian government collapsed after Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă lost a confidence | Bogdan Cristel/EPA-EFE Romanian government falls The move complicates the country’s need to find a European commissioner.

The Romanian government collapsed Thursday after Social Democrat Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă narrowly lost a confidence vote in parliament.

Dăncilă, who took office in January 2018, was ousted after 238 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion, just five more than needed. She is also her party's candidate for president in an election to be held on November 10.

President Klaus Iohannis will now have to choose a replacement prime minister. He said he will meet with political parties Friday morning and once a nomination has been made, he or she has 10 days to form a government.

The development also raises questions about who will be Romania's nominee for the European Commission. Dăncilă had put forward two names — Rovana Plumb and Dan Nica. President-elect Ursula von der Leyen picked Plumb but she was rejected by the European Parliament. Dăncilă renominated Nica this week but he was not officially accepted.

"We need to make a nomination for European commissioner that respects the standards of professionalism and credibility," Iohannis said.

Dăncilă accused the opposition of having no alternative plan for running the country.

Dan Barna, leader of opposition group Save Romania Union, said the fall of the government should serve as "a lesson ... that these people should never receive another chance."

The confidence vote took place after a week of negotiations during which two Social Democratic Party (PSD) members quit and joined the opposition, only to change their minds and move back. Most PSD lawmakers did not cast a vote on Thursday.

The vote was preceded by a tense debate during which the PSD and the opposition accused each other of being unable to govern.

Dăncilă's grip on power had been shaky for months, especially after her former coalition partner ALDE decided in August to walk away from government, leaving some ministerial posts unfilled.

Speaking during the debate preceding the vote, Raluca Turcan from the National Liberal Party, the largest opposition group, accused Dăncilă of "abusively occupying" the role of prime minister.

"I strongly believe this is the last time we are addressing an illegitimate prime minister that stepped all over the country's right to move towards the European path and not turn back to the '90s," she said.

Former PSD Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who created his own party called Pro Romania, criticized the government for being the only one in the EU that still does not have an official candidate for the "next Commission of Ursula." Ponta said he didn't use von der Leyen's last name to avoid confusing Dăncilă (who has been criticized for making grammatical errors).

Dăncilă accused the opposition of having no alternative plan for running the country.

"You are not fighting to do good for people. You are fighting against the PSD, against the country's interest," she said. "You don't have political maturity, you don't know how to govern for Romanians."

The Romanian government survived a vote of confidence at the end of December.

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