Romania’s leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan on Tuesday, seeking to topple his centre-right government.
The motion, backed by 251 signatures according to AUR leader George Simion, was filed a day after the two parties announced their joint effort. The PSD, which was part of the governing coalition until last week, said it had secured enough support for the motion to pass “without any problems.” The vote is expected in parliament next week.
The move plunges Romania into fresh political uncertainty, following the PSD’s withdrawal from the coalition and an annulled presidential election in December 2024. The country faces one of the EU’s highest budget deficits, rampant inflation, and a technical recession.
PSD president Sorin Grindeanu said the motion had support “beyond political colour,” including from the far-right SOS Romania party. He accused Bolojan of failing to implement genuine reform during his ten months in office, adding that Romania needs a leader “capable of collaboration.”
If Bolojan is ousted, the PSD would be needed to form a pro-European majority, though it has ruled out a coalition with AUR. Analyst Cristian Andrei warned of a “long crisis” that breaks the pro-European alliance and gives AUR mainstream legitimacy. A general election is scheduled for 2028, with the premiership due to rotate to the PSD in 2027.
