Romania heads for broad ruling coalition after months of turmoil

Andra Timu, Bloomberg News on Jun 21, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Romania is heading toward a broad coalition government to tackle the European Union’s biggest budget shortfall after the largest pro-European party voted to join the Cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Ilie Bolojan.

The Social Democrats, which control most seats in parliament, overwhelmingly voted on Saturday to form a new majority with Bolojan’s Liberals and two other smaller parties. The new coalition will control more than 60% of the legislature, leaving far-right parties as the main opposition.

A vote of confidence in Bolojan’s new government could take place as early as Monday, according to Social Democrat interim leader Sorin Grindeanu. The creation of a new Romanian government requires a majority vote in favor by lawmakers.

“We are entering the new ruling coalition, even if some of our partners have opposite political views,” Grindeanu told reporters after the vote, which showed that 71% of the Social Democrats supported the plan. “The mandate of the new Cabinet won’t be easy and it will come with unpopular measures, that’s why we need to take responsibility for this vote.”

Bolojan was named premier on Friday by President Nicusor Dan, a centrist who beat back a far-right challenge to win the country’s highest office last month. The next Cabinet’s main priorities will be to reduce a budget deficit that exceeded 9% of economic output last year and to ease widening divisions in the society that bolster support for extremist politicians.

Romania was plunged into its gravest political crisis since the fall of communism late last year by the shock victory of an ultranationalist outsider in a presidential vote, which was subsequently annulled and rescheduled for May. Dan’s election suggests voters want to adhere to the nation’s pro-European path amid growing geopolitical turmoil.

Bolojan continues to hold talks with political allies over lineup of his government and the fiscal plan, which has sparked controversy during negotiations over the past three weeks.

“Tomorrow we’ll finalize the governing program, where we still have some contention points and the political accord, so that we can enter the parliamentary approval process for the new Cabinet on Monday,” Grindeanu said.