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Romania ends months-long political deadlock as parliament approves Niculescu government

eualive.netRomania ends months-long political deadlock as parliament approves Niculescu governmentRomania’s parliament approved a new government led by pro-European diplomat Luca Niculescu on Tuesday, ending more than five months of political deadlock. The 55-year-old independent secured 280 votes in favour, comfortably exceeding the 233 needed for confirmation, with 58 lawmakers voting against. The government brings together representatives of the left-centre Social Democratic Party (PSD), Romania’s largest political force, and independent experts. The Liberals of outgoing interim prime minister Ilie Bolojan and the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) also backed the cabinet in parliament, but will not join the executive. The vote ends a prolonged impasse that began with the collapse of the pro-European coalition in May, but it does not guarantee political stability. The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which has led opinion polls in recent months with support approaching 40%, opposed the new government and called it a “puppet government”. “Romania needs a government with full powers after so many months of political crisis,” Niculescu told parliament before the vote. “We live in an increasingly uncertain world. There is a war on Romania’s borders, and the threats to European security are greater than they were a few years ago,” he added. A compromise after four prime ministerial bids Niculescu is the fourth candidate nominated by centrist pro-European President Nicușor Dan to try to form a government during the crisis. Dan selected the 55-year-old diplomat earlier this month, arguing that his diplomatic experience gave him the best chance of securing a parliamentary majority. A former ambassador to France, Niculescu most recently served as a state secretary at the foreign ministry, where he was responsible for Romania’s bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Before entering diplomacy, he worked as a journalist, including as editor-in-chief of Radio France Internationale’s Romanian service, a television presenter and a correspondent for French media. The new cabinet has 18 ministers, including two ministers-delegates. Eleven nominees come from the PSD, while seven are independent. The party will control several key portfolios, including the interior, transport, justice, defence, economy, agriculture, labour and health ministries. Independent nominees are set to lead finance, foreign affairs, energy, education and culture. The composition reflects a compromise intended to restore a functioning government without bringing all the parties that support its parliamentary investiture into the executive. Bolojan’s Liberals have pledged to move into opposition despite backing the vote. He described their support as a “vote of necessity”, arguing that Romania needs a functioning government to prevent disruption to public institutions and essential services. The Liberals also called for continued reforms, lower state spending and the protection of public investment. Bolojan criticised the PSD over its role in the political crisis and warned that his party would scrutinise the new cabinet’s performance. The UDMR also supported the government, while the centre-right Save Romania Union (USR) opposed it, criticising the return of the PSD to power and warning that it could obstruct reforms. Economic pressure and a resurgent far right The political crisis followed the collapse of the four-party pro-European coalition led by Bolojan, which was brought down by a no-confidence motion on 5 May supported by the PSD, AUR and the PACE – First Romania group. The dispute centred on austerity measures and disagreements over economic policy. The country had already been facing political instability after the annulment of the December 2024 presidential election amid allegations of Russian interference. Parliamentary elections held that month produced a fragmented legislature, with far-right parties winning around one-third of the seats. Since then, negotiations over a new government have been complicated by disputes about economic management, the PSD’s return to power and the choice of prime minister. The prolonged impasse has coincided with pressure on Romania’s public finances, rising state borrowing costs and concerns over its sovereign credit rating. President Dan ruled out both a government involving the far right and early elections, arguing that another vote would prolong the crisis and increase pressure on public finances. The AUR, led by George Simion, rejected the new cabinet and called for elections. Simion accused the parties backing Niculescu of having staged political disagreements for months before coming together to support the government. He also warned that the cabinet would impoverish the population and criticised rising energy prices and the depreciation of the Romanian leu against the euro. The party’s strong polling performance underlines the political challenge facing the new administration as it seeks to restore confidence in the government and address economic concerns. A fragile mandate The government’s parliamentary approval does not settle the disagreements that brought down its predecessor. Both the PSD and the Liberals have indicated that they will reassess their support in the coming months, leaving the cabinet vulnerable to renewed tensions between the Social Democrats and independent ministers. Political analyst Sergiu Mișcoiu told AFP that another round of conflict could emerge as early as spring, particularly between PSD ministers and the independent experts in the cabinet. “The prime minister will largely have to act like a firefighter – putting out fires and trying to move things forward under the current circumstances,” Mișcoiu said. Niculescu has presented the combination of party representatives and independent experts as an unusual but appropriate formula for Romania’s current situation. The PSD has also said it will evaluate the government’s performance after its first six months in office. The party has called for the 2027 state budget to be drawn up by 1 December and for further tax increases to be avoided. Sources: EUalive’s partners BGNES and PressOne Caption: Romanian Prime Minister-designate Luca Niculescu (L, front) reacts after winning a parliamentary confidence vote, in Bucharest, Romania, 20 October 2026. Niculescu secured 280 votes in parliament to form a new government, bringing an end to a political crisis in Romania that lasted over five months. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

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