Romanian PM-designate renounces nomination-presidency

Romania's Prime Minister-designate Florin Citu abandoned his bid to become premier on Thursday, minutes before a scheduled parliamentary vote of confidence, the presidency said in a statement.

The European Union state is ran by an interim centrist cabinet of Prime Minister Ludovic Orban who has limited powers after it fell in a no-confidence vote in February. The Liberals had been trying to trigger an early parliamentary election.