Romania: Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan faces confidence vote in parliament after largest party, PSD, quit his coalition

Parliamentarians in Romania have opened a debate ahead of a vote of confidence later on Tuesday in Prime Minsiter Ilie Bolojan. 

Judging by the numbers of lawmakers who supported the initial motion, Bolojan at least appears at risk of being voted out.

It's unclear what that would lead to in the debt-riddled EU member that has long been unable to join the euorzone because of its economic difficulties. 

Who was in the coalition government and why did it implode?

Amid the rising influence of the far-right opposition in parliament, Romania formed a rainbow four-party coalition last year after President Nicusor Dan won the May 2025 rerun of the presidential elections. 

Dan named Bolojan as his prime minister in June after striking a deal between four parties, Bolojan's center-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the Social Democrats (PSD) — the largest bloc in parliament with 93 seats — and two other pro-EU parties. 

The new government inherited wobbling public finances and the need to adhere to EU excessive debt procedures, which Romania has been subject to continuously since 2020. In the last quarter of 2025, the public deficit hit 7.9% of GDP, compared to the EU rule forbidding members from exceeding 3%.

The swingeing cuts required to try to keep in touch with European debt targets were particularly unpopular with the PSD, which last month left the coaliton and filed the no-confidence motion along with the far-right oppostion parties.

The PSD's erstwhile allies, more centrist or center-right pro-European parties, have been highly critical of this step, saying it risks normalizing the once-ostracized, pro-Russian and euroskeptic right-wing parties.

The PSD on the other hands asserts that it has "no post-motion political agreement whatsoever" with the far right, only "a common goal" to dismiss the Bolojan government.

Is Prime Minister Bolojan likely to lose the confidence vote? 

At least judging by the numbers in the Chamber of Deputies, and the number of lawmakers who moved to debate unseating Bolojan, the prime minister's position appears very precarious. 

The motion would need 233 votes in parliament later on Tuesday to pass. 

When it was submitted, 254 lawmakers signed the bill advocating scheduling a confidence vote.

However, some lawmakers who signed the motion did later say they would support Bolojan in the vote.

What would happen if Bolojan falls is not so clear. He would lose his position, and probably the most likely scenario is more protracted coaliton negotiations.

These could even end up yielding the same four-party alliance as before — as all four parties are needed to claim a stable majority. A new prime minister would seem likely, perhaps also from a different party within the alliance.

President Nisusor Dan on Monday tried to assure reporters and other European leaders assembled in Armenia that he would work to maintain stability and fiscal discipline whatever the outcome back home. 

"Political discussions will be difficult, but it is my responsibility as president — and that of the political parties — to steer Romania in the right direction," he told reporters. "I invite ‌you to keep calm. I would like to tell ‌markets ​that Romania is sticking to its commitments on the deficit."

Romania's currency, the leu, has dropped slightly in value against the euro in recent days amid the uncertainty. Bucharest plans to join the eurozone single currency but as yet does not meet the economic requirements to do so.

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Edited by: Roshni Majumdar