Romania’s leftist Social Democratic Party on Thursday withdrew from negotiations to form a pro-European coalition government, extending political turmoil that has gripped the European Union country after a top court annulled a presidential election.

By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest The talks on the formation of a ruling coalition in Romania reached a deadlock on December 19 after the Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader and current Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu pulled out of the talks,

Romania's Social Democrat Party (PSD) opted out of coalition talks, prolonging a political impasse following the annulment of a recent presidential election. The PSD, winners of a parliamentary majority,

Romanian democratic parties are attempting to create a “cordon sanitaire” around far-right parties, which have gained popularity among voters in recent presidential and parliamentary elections. However,

Pro-Western parties won the most votes, with the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, topping the polls. The PSD reached agreement late Tuesday to form a grand coalition with the center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, USR, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party.

Romania's ruling leftist Social Democrat Party (PSD) has withdrawn from government coalition talks, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Thursday, deepening a political crisis. Three votes to elect Romania's president and parliament descended into chaos when a little known far-right NATO critic won the first presidential round on Nov.

Romania’s political crisis deepened after the largest pro-European party abruptly withdrew from negotiations to form a coalition, opening the prospect of a weaker government to tackle the European Union’s widest budget deficit.