The Romanian Prime Minister, Mr Adrian Nastase, took over as president of the ruling leftwing Party of Social Democracy (PDSR) yesterday, and immediately appealed for unity in face of what he saw as the danger of a party split.
Hundreds of delegates at the PDSR's national conference voted Mr Nastase into the top job in place of Mr Ion Iliescu, who was elected Romania's president in December and constitutionally is not allowed to have party affiliations.