EditRomanian parties deadlocked after first round of consultations hosted by the president
International rating agencies have warned that uncertainty could push Romania closer to a junk rating, raising borrowing costs and affecting the national currency
After the first round of official consultations at Cotroceni Palace on Monday, Romanian President Nicușor Dan announced that no agreement had been reached on a new prime minister. The president stated that talks would continue until a solid, pro-Western parliamentary majority emerges.
Parliamentary parties gathered at the presidential palace for discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing political crisis triggered by the successful no-confidence motion against interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and his government.
Firm positions and red lines
Leaders from the main parties laid out clear positions after their meetings:
- PNL (National Liberal Party) and USR (Save Romania Union) explicitly ruled out forming another governing alliance with the PSD (Social Democratic Party).
- PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu stated that his party would no longer support a government led by Ilie Bolojan and would only consider coalitions with pro-Western parties – without naming any specific groups it would exclude.
- UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania) president Kelemen Hunor declared that there was “no option” for supporting a government backed by the nationalist AUR party. He also noted that early elections were not a desirable solution for the country’s problems.
In a notable development, AUR leader George Simion publicly requested a mandate to form a government, declaring that his party was ready to “assume responsibility and pull Romania out of the crisis.” Political analyst Remus Ștefureac, director of INSCOP, described this as primarily a message directed at AUR’s own electorate, given President Dan’s firm opposition to including AUR in any future government.
The technocratic solution under scrutiny
One option under discussion is a technocratic government led by an independent expert, with names such as economist Delia Velculescu (formerly with the IMF) reportedly circulating in political circles.
Remus Ștefureac strongly criticised this approach in an interview with PressOne. He argued that a technocratic prime minister would further erode public trust in political parties, as it would appear that politicians are evading responsibility by “hiding behind otherwise exceptional people.”
“Democracy functions through political accountability,” Ștefureac explained. “If parties do not assume responsibility, citizens will lose even more confidence and perceive it as a clever trick. This could propel extremist forces even further.” He warned that such a move might repeat the pattern seen after the previous technocratic government led by Dacian Cioloș, which was followed by a strong PSD performance.
Poll shifts and unexpected consequences
Recent INSCOP polling reflects significant changes following the no-confidence vote. The PSD has dropped to third place, while the PNL has risen to second – gaining around five percentage points in the last month – for the first time in six years. AUR remains in first position.
Ștefureac noted that the no-confidence motion, initiated by the PSD, has had the opposite effect of what was intended. It has transformed Ilie Bolojan into a “locomotive leader” for the PNL and created a strong personal and political polarisation. The analyst described the growing distrust between PSD and PNL as ultimately healthy for Romanian democracy in the medium and long term. Cross-ideological deals between major parties, he argued, have previously opened the door to radical forces like AUR. A clearer separation between mainstream parties could help contain extremism.
Other parties’ stances
Representatives of national minorities emphasised the need to rebuild a functional coalition, preferably around PNL and PSD.
SOS Romania leader Diana Șoșoacă criticised the consultations and President Dan, while her party’s delegation included Tudor Ionescu, a former leader of the extremist New Right movement.
POT party leader Anamaria Gavrilă expressed support for any pro-Western option but stressed that government members should come from party lists.
Broader context
The consultations take place amid domestic political instability and external economic pressures. International rating agencies have warned that prolonged uncertainty could push Romania closer to a junk rating, raising borrowing costs and affecting the national currency.
President Nicușor Dan has repeatedly called for calm. Further consultations, including with independent parliamentarians, are scheduled to continue on Tuesday. No immediate breakthrough is expected, and all scenarios – including a technocratic government, a new coalition, or even early elections – remain possible, though none command broad enthusiasm.
The original article in Romanian by EUalive’s partner PressOne.ro can be found here.
Caption: Photo of Nicusor Dan posted on 12 May 2026 [@NicusorDanRO on X].
Updated: May 19, 2026 - 06:19
