Romania faces political deadlock as second PM nominee defies own party

Central European Times 22 Jun 2026 1 min read

Romania has been left without a stable government for nearly seven weeks, with a second prime ministerial candidate now facing expulsion from his own party after refusing to stand down.

The crisis was triggered on 5 May, when a no-confidence vote — backed by the left-wing Social Democrats (PSD) and the far-right AUR alliance — brought down Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's pro-European coalition by 281 votes to four. The PSD had grown increasingly opposed to austerity measures the government said were necessary to reduce the country's fiscal deficit — a requirement to unlock EU recovery funds before an August deadline.

President Nicuşor Dan, elected on a pro-Western ticket, launched consultations with party leaders but failed to broker a workable majority. On 4 June, he turned to Eugen Tomac, a European Parliament member and presidential adviser, tasking him with forming a technocrat-led cabinet. The attempt collapsed within days when the National Liberal Party (PNL) withdrew its support, and Tomac stood aside having exhausted his constitutional 10-day mandate.

Mr Dan made a second nomination on 14 June, choosing Adrian Veștea, a senior PNL member and president of Brașov county council. The decision deepened divisions within the Liberals, who had firmly ruled out any government involving the PSD. Mr Veștea pressed ahead regardless, and on 21 June submitted his proposed cabinet and governing programme to parliament, after securing the PSD's backing at a party congress.

On Monday, the PNL gave Mr Veștea until the end of the day to resign or face expulsion. He declined. Parliament must now vote on whether to grant his government a confidence vote — an outcome that remains far from assured.

Romania's prolonged instability comes at a critical moment. Without an approved government, the country risks missing the August cut-off for EU recovery funds and faces mounting pressure from international creditors over its deficit.

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