BUCHAREST — After nearly 150 days without a fully empowered government, UDMR leader Kelemen Hunor announced Wednesday that the coalition will construct a life-size wooden replica of a full-power executive and carry it through the Palace of the Parliament until it votes itself into office.
«We stopped waiting for a common denominator,» Hunor told reporters, rubbing his temples. «We are building one. It will have a prime minister's chair, a budget, and full powers. The only thing it will not have is a coalition partner who refuses to compromise.»
The replica, assembled from oak beams donated by each parliamentary group, is to be hoisted onto the shoulders of PNL, USR, UDMR and PSD leaders at dawn and walked around the plenary hall seven times. According to the timetable, the procession must continue until the wooden government passes its own investiture vote, which it will do by a show of hands painted on its sleeves.
«If I step out of Parliament and look at Parliament, my head hurts,» Hunor said. «So we are bringing Parliament to the government instead. It is the only way to leave room for good morning.»
By Thursday, the replica had been fitted with a working intercom and a small desk. Coalition leaders now take turns sitting inside it during sessions, answering questions in unison. The Senate has ordered a second, smaller replica for the opposition, to be carried at all times until it agrees on anything.