Romania’s leftist Social Democratic Party has withdrawn from negotiations to form a pro-European coalition government, extending political turmoil that has gripped the European Union country after a top court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

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.

Romania's ruling leftist Social Democrat Party (PSD) has withdrawn from government coalition talks, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Thursday, deepening a political crisis.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.

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,