The unusual alliance between the left-wing social democrats (PSD) and the country's main far-right party (AUR) brought down the government of pro-European Ilie Bolojan, but the motion of no confidence that led to his departure probably will not have the desired effect, because President Nicusor Dan, in charge of appointing the prime minister in Romania, revealed that he will not call new elections and that he hopes that "in a reasonable period of time" there will be a "pro-Western government."

First modification: 05/06/2026 - 00:53

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The Romanian Parliament voted this May 5 in favor of a motion of no confidence against the liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, a decision that was reached with the greatest legislative support since the return of democracy in 1990, but that will not necessarily mark a change in Bucharest's position with respect to the European Union.

The motion was the result of an unusual alliance between the left social democrats (PSD) and the ultranationalist AUR party, who together presented the censure and accounted for 281 of the 288 votes that were cast, while the liberals and other partners in the government coalition who also formed Bolojan's support base abstained from participating.

Before the vote took place, Bolojan took the floor to describe the process as “deceptive, cynical and artificial,” and to vindicate the actions that ultimately led to the motion against him. “I decided to do what was urgent and necessary for our country,” he said.

Bolojan's government had collapsed after the Social Democrats left the coalition last month (which also included liberals, conservatives and representatives of the Hungarian minority), angry about the tax increases and tax cuts promoted by the prime minister.

Bolojan's unpopular measures, which eroded political support for his coalition parties, sought to reduce Romania's budget deficit, which is the largest in the European Union, and contain the collapse of the leu, the national currency, which a day before the parliamentary vote had reached a historic low against the euro.

The two targets were conditions for Romania to access 10 billion euros from the EU recovery fund before the August deadline.

Bolojan will remain in power, although with limited powers, until a new government is appointed, a power that in Romania corresponds to President Nicusor Dan, who had been a decisive figure in achieving the agreements that led to Bolojan's arrival to power 10 months ago.

"I think there is still hope and, after this motion, it is the duty of the responsible parties to find a solution. I hope that Mr. Nicusor Dan will call us for consultations," said PSD president Sorin Grindeanu after the session.

For months, the PSD accused Bolojan of not implementing structural reforms and not acting with sufficient transparency towards his partners in the ruling coalition, claiming that he had made decisions behind their backs, until their complaints caused him to step aside two weeks ago.

There will be no new elections

President Dan, a convinced pro-European, ruled out plans to call early elections after the fall of the Bolojan government, and tried to dispel concerns that anti-European options are beginning to gain ground.

"We are beginning informal consultations. We will have a new Government within a reasonable period of time. I rule out the possibility of early elections and I emphasize that, at the end of these procedures, we will have a pro-Western government," Dan promised, in his first statements after the vote.

In a televised message, Dan called for calm and ruled out that the decision of May 5 marks a different course from Romania's pro-European position.

His position remains faithful to the tradition of the country, where early elections have never been held, but he also faces the growth of the far-right AUR in the polls, by maintaining 2028 as the scheduled date for the next elections.

It is believed that Dan's preference will lean towards Catalin Predieu, current Minister of the Interior and a member of the conservative PNL like Bolojan.

This Tuesday, Predieu anticipated doubts about the PNL's position. "The best decision for the PNL is to continue governing and keep all its options open," he said after the parliamentary session, dispelling speculation that the party would lean toward becoming the opposition.

The other alternatives are that he tries to govern as a minority or that he seeks a new alliance with the PSD, the party with the most representation in Parliament.

More than the position of the majority, it is now the role of the second party with the most seats, the far-right AUR, which has begun to raise concerns about Romania's pro-European vocation.

Political scientist Costin Ciobanu told the AFP agency that the fact that the PSD appealed to an agreement with AUR to censure Bolojan has turned the ultranationalist bench "into a significant political actor, when before it was an isolated, marginalized and relegated party to the margins of the political system."

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Its leader George Simion, anointed by the pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu when the Constitutional Court prevented him from participating in the second presidential round, did not miss the opportunity to take advantage of the motion, celebrating in X that “the voice of the people has been heard today” and wishing for “national reconciliation.”

Keep looking towards Europe, not Russia

European socialists were quick to call on their Romanian PSD affiliates for "the rapid formation of a pro-European government with renewed leadership."

The Party of European Socialists (PES) published a statement in which it noted that "in a time of political uncertainty, Romania needs clarity, stability and leadership that responds to the needs of its citizens", conditions that in its opinion guarantee the PSD.

For European socialists, however, it will be difficult to explain the alliance of their Romanian partners with the ultranationalist AUR, a party that has described the European Union as the “new Soviet Union.”

Romanian MEP Siegfred Muresan lamented that the progressive party “is openly aligning itself with one of the most radically anti-European and extremist political forces in the EU.”

"Its leader is banned from entering Ukraine and Moldova for his harsh nationalist rhetoric that directly questions Moldova's statehood and undermines Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Muresan added in a statement, referring to Simion.

With AFP, EFE and Reuters

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