The pro-European government of Romania has fallen following a lost confidence vote, resulting in political instability just months after the ruling coalition took office, amid a rise in popularity for far-right parties.
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, representing the liberal party, addressed lawmakers prior to the vote on Tuesday, labeling the censure motion as “false, cynical, and artificial.” He argued that during times of crisis, countries should aim to strengthen their governments rather than change them.
The no-confidence motion, initiated by the Social Democrats (PSD), the largest parliamentary party, along with the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), garnered 281 votes in the 464-seat parliament. Members of Bolojan’s PNL party and its USR allies abstained from voting.
George Simion, the leader of the AUR, called for immediate elections, asserting that the “voice of the people” has been acknowledged and that his party is prepared to take responsibility for “the future of the country.” He emphasized that the fate of Romania should be determined by its citizens’ votes.
Despite these calls, elections are not scheduled until 2028, and a snap election seems unlikely. This is largely due to the AUR’s recent surge in popularity, overtaking the PSD to become the leading party in the polls, currently enjoying around 37% support.
Centrist President Nicușor Dan, who is responsible for appointing a new prime minister, is anticipated to engage political parties in discussions aimed at reconstructing the four-party coalition, potentially under a new PNL premier or a technocrat.
Dan remarked that it was “not a happy moment,” but he dismissed the possibility of early elections. He ruled out the inclusion of the far-right in any future coalition and expressed confidence that a new pro-Western government would be established within a “reasonable timeframe.”
The centre-left PSD has indicated its willingness to rejoin a pro-EU coalition under different leadership. Sorin Grindeanu, the party leader, stated, “There is life after the no-confidence vote,” expressing a desire to maintain the coalition’s integrity.
However, the PNL party exhibited signs of division, with some senior members rejecting collaboration with the PSD, while others advocated for it. PNL Deputy Prime Minister Cătălin Predoiu emphasized the need to keep options open following the vote.
The reformist Save Romania Union (USR), another coalition member, has expressed its reluctance to collaborate with the PSD again, stating it is prepared for an early election and open to establishing a minority government.
Prime Minister Bolojan had been managing a minority government since the PSD exited the coalition and called for his resignation late last month, subsequently teaming up with the opposition AUR to initiate the no-confidence vote.
Frequent clashes occurred between the PSD and Bolojan due to unpopular austerity measures implemented by the government, which included tax increases and cuts to public sector wages and jobs, adversely affecting the party’s voter base.
Upon the coalition’s formation in June of last year, it committed to addressing Romania’s significant budget deficits, which are among the highest in the EU. While the austerity measures have contributed to reducing the deficit from 9.3% to 7.9%, they have come at a considerable political price.
The government must continue to decrease its deficit, projected to drop to 6.2% this year, and undertake further reforms to secure approximately €10 billion in EU recovery and resilience funds before an August deadline.
Bolojan remarked that the no-confidence vote failed to consider the context of the current situation. He acknowledged he would not receive public approval, yet he insisted he acted on what was urgent and necessary for the nation.
Last year, Bolojan’s PNL, along with the PSD and two other pro-EU parties, formed a coalition following parliamentary elections, which were marred by political turmoil after the annulment of the presidential elections in late 2024.
The far-right’s Simion had initially led the first round of the re-run presidential election, which resulted in the collapse of the previous PSD-PNL coalition government, before being decisively defeated by Dan in the second round held last May.
Analyst Cristian Andrei, based in Bucharest, indicated that it may take weeks for the president to assemble a majority and appoint a new prime minister, suggesting that forming a new government could prove to be a challenging process.
