Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has rejected the prime ministerial candidate nominated by the left-of-centre Social Democrats (PSD).
Sevil Shhaideh would have been Romania's first female and Muslim prime minister. President Iohannis has given no reasons for his decision.
Ms Shhaideh has been criticised for lacking political experience, only serving once as a regional minister.
Analysts say her Syrian husband's background may also have been a factor.
Sevil Shhaideh
- A member of Romania's tiny Turkish minority, she is seen as a political newcomer
- Most of her working life has been spent as an economist and a civil servant
- Widely regarded to be politically inexperienced, she has served only a six-month stint as development minister
- Seen as being personally close to Mr Dragnea, who is reported to have been a witness at her wedding
In response, PSD leader Liviu Dragnea said his party might consider trying to impeach Mr Iohannis.
He said there was no constitutional reason for refusing Ms Shhaideh, and accused Mr Iohannis of wanting "to start a political crisis".
The PSD won the parliamentary election earlier this month and hopes to form a coalition.
No Romanian president has ever turned down a nomination before, and Mr Dragnea has lost little time fighting back.
Speaking to reporters alongside his ally Calin Popescu Tariceanu - the Senate speaker and leader of the small ALDE coalition party - Mr Dragnea mentioned the possibility of impeaching the president.
He and Mr Tariceanu have said they will not be rushed into a full confrontation with President Iohannis, saying they will assess whether he acted against the constitution by rejecting their candidate.
The two parties, PSD and ALDE, hold a majority in parliament and could suspend the president from office and submit his removal to a referendum within one month.
It would not be the first time. PSD and another party suspended former President Traian Basescu in 2007 and 2012, only for the impeachment to be rejected twice in referendums
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