Romania Lawmakers to Vote on New Cabinet Amid Political Crisis

Lawmakers in Romania are scheduled to vote Wednesday on a new center-right Cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Muresan, in an effort to end a monthslong political crisis.

Muresan, nominated by the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), has presented a "reform-oriented" governing program. However, he is widely expected to fall short of the 233 votes required for a majority in the European Union country. Muresan stated he has secured support from approximately 170 lawmakers and has held "extremely productive" discussions with minority groups and independent parliamentarians.

"My responsibility is to do everything in my power until the plenary vote to try to secure the necessary number of votes," Muresan told The Associated Press. "I feel that right now we’re in the 200-vote range and that we’re getting close."

Muresan's core support comes from the PNL, the Save Romania Union (USR), and the ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. The Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the nationalist Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) have indicated they will not back his proposed Cabinet.

The political instability began in May when Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan was ousted through a no-confidence motion initiated by the PSD, then a member of the governing coalition, and the AUR.

Muresan, a member of the European Parliament since 2014, believes his experience in Brussels prepares him for the premiership. He highlighted key challenges facing Romania, including restoring economic competitiveness and enhancing security against threats such as energy insecurity, cybersecurity risks, and drone incursions into Romanian airspace.

Romanian President Nicusor Dan emphasized the need for the political crisis to end, urging parties to prioritize national interest over partisan concerns. "Early elections are not a solution," Dan stated Tuesday, warning they would prolong instability and erode confidence among citizens and financial markets.

If the political deadlock persists, Muresan acknowledged that early elections might become the only recourse. "I would rather have two months of an election campaign and early elections, to receive a new mandate from the people, rather than two years of uncertainty until the next parliamentary election," he said.

The previous coalition, sworn in with the aim of resolving one of Romania’s most severe post-Communist political crises and reducing a substantial budget deficit, took power in 2025. President Dan made two presidential nominations in June following the no-confidence vote, but neither succeeded in forming a government. The president has the authority to dissolve Parliament if two Cabinet proposals are rejected within 60 days of the first rejection. The next scheduled parliamentary elections are in 2028.

Bucharest-based political consultant Cristian Andrei expressed skepticism about Muresan's Cabinet passing, calling its chances "close to zero." Andrei warned that the president's next nomination could potentially shift Romania's pro-European stance towards right-wing populism, suggesting a scenario where a candidate favored by the Social Democrats could lead to a cabinet controlled by them.

Muresan has been critical of the AUR, which placed second in a 2024 parliamentary election, labeling the party as anti-European and condemning the PSD's cooperation with them on the no-confidence motion.

"People will be able to see exactly if the Social Democratic Party will continue to partner with anti-European extremists or if it will vote for the pro-European government," Muresan stated, adding that other EU social democratic parties do not typically align with the far-right populist right.

PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu criticized Muresan's proposed program as "an insult to economic logic," arguing it would perpetuate austerity measures. AUR leader George Simion confirmed his party would not participate in the vote.