BUCHAREST, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Teodor Melescanu, president of the Romanian Senate, announced on Monday his resignation almost two weeks after the top court of the country ruled that his election to the position was unconstitutional.
"I decided to withdraw from office, although the decision of the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has not been published yet," Melescanu told the first ordinary session of the Senate this year.
"I was elected to this position in which I was a candidate according to the constitutional provisions and the Regulations of the Social Democratic group and I obtained the majority of votes according to the Senate Regulations," he added.
"I continue to assume the prerogatives I have until the publication (of the CCR ruling) in the Official Journal," Melescanu told journalists soon after the CCR's Jan. 22 ruling.
Marcel Ciolacu, acting president of the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD), the largest party in parliament, announced that the PSD will support Titus Corlatean, vice president of the Senate and of the party, to take over Melescanu's position as interim Senate president until the CCR's ruling on Melescanu is published.
Melescanu's election as president of the Senate last September stirred controversy because he had been endorsed by the then ruling PSD, although he was still a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), which had just left the then ruling coalition with the PSD.
The situation led to the appearance of two ALDE candidates in the election, namely Melescanu and the candidate proposed by the ALDE itself, which violated the relevant regulations.
Major parties in the parliament, including the PSD, the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Social Liberal Union (USL), have announced that they will have a candidate to run for Senate president.
PNL leader and Prime Minister Ludovic Orban announced soon after the CCR ruling that his party will nominate Alina Gorghiu for the leadership of the Senate. In the last election, Gorghiu lost to Melescanu by 59 to 73 votes in the second round.
