All the three opposition parties in Romania’s parliament Saturday signed a protocol forming the Social Liberal Union (USL), a political alliance of liberals, conservatives and social democrats.

The protocol was signed by the Social Democratic Party’s leader Victor Ponta, the National Liberal Party’s leader Crin Antonescu and the Conservative Party’s leader Daniel Constantin.

The union wants to be an alternative to the current ruling coalition made up of the Democratic Liberal Party, the National Union for Romania’s Progress and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania.

Ponta said after signing the protocol that he trusted both the union and the alliance partners and was sure that the alliance would be successful.

In his turn, Antonescu emphasized that the USL was an alliance with Romania for Romania.

“We have all listened to and understood the voice of most Romanians,” he said, “We are all joining hands for the present and the future of this country.”

Conservative leader Constantin said that he trusted the union as the change in Romania will be made at the same time with this group being set up.

In early January, the Liberal Party teamed up the Conservative Party under the Center-Right Alliance and the new political alliance, including Social Democrats will be co-headed by Social Democrat leader Ponta and Liberal leader Antonescu.

Together, the three opposition parties hold a little less than half of the 470 seats in the current parliament.

Local analysts said that the new alliance does not pose an immediate threat to the centre-right government of Emil Boc but could win the 2012 elections and form a new ruling coalition.