Romania's president asks outgoing PM Orban to form government

Romania's president on Thursday asked outgoing Prime Minister Ludovic Orban to form a new government around the premier's centrist Liberal party, moving a step closer to an early parliamentary election which Orban is widely expected to win.

"As I have repeatedly said, a snap poll is my first option, it is the correct choice. I decided to ask Ludovic Orban to form a new cabinet," Klaus Iohannis told reporters after holding consultations with parliamentary political groupings.